Infectious Diseases: The Persistent Threat
Infectious diseases continue to pose significant challenges across Africa. The 2026 Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, was declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security by Africa CDC in May 2026. The outbreak affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, with about 395 suspected cases and 106 associated deaths reported at the time of declaration. The confirmation of the virus in interconnected countries served as a reminder that Africa's health security is indivisible.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal illness transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids, contaminated materials, or deceased individuals infected with the virus. Early detection, rapid isolation and care, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, community engagement, and safe and dignified burials remain essential to interrupt transmission.
Africa CDC and WHO activated a unified response framework, implementing the "4 Ones" principle: one team, one plan, one budget, and one monitoring framework. Multidisciplinary experts were deployed, and Africa CDC internally mobilised US$2 million to support the continental response.
Beyond Ebola, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) affect approximately one billion people every year, leading to blindness, disfigurement, chronic illness and impaired child development. Despite their vast impact, they have historically received far less attention and funding than other major diseases.
Advancing Prevention Through Vaccines and Innovation
Vaccines are emerging as one of the most powerful yet underused tools in the fight against infectious diseases. Global Health EDCTP3 is investing €40 million to advance vaccines against dengue and chikungunya, two mosquito-borne viruses steadily expanding their reach in sub-Saharan Africa.
Targeting Dengue and Chikungunya
Dengue is caused by four virus serotypes, meaning a vaccine must protect against all four to avoid incomplete immunity, which can increase the risk of severe disease after a subsequent infection. The DENSTAR project is testing DengiAll, a single-dose vaccine designed to provide balanced protection against all four dengue serotypes. The project will first conduct a safety study in Mozambique in adults, before expanding to younger age groups down to two years old, followed by larger trials in Mozambique, Ghana and the DRC.
For chikungunya—a virus causing fever, headache and often long-lasting, severe joint pain—the EAVI and ACT-CHIK projects aim to generate missing safety and immunogenicity data on existing vaccines, particularly for African populations living with HIV.
Emerging Genetic Technologies
In May 2026, about 50 experts from 15 African countries gathered in Accra for a regional workshop on the governance of emerging genetic biocontrol agents. These technologies are being explored as innovative tools to combat mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue. The African Region became the first in the world to pilot test the WHO–OECD Implementation Toolkit for the Anticipatory Governance of Emerging Technologies, using genetic biocontrol agents as a case study.
A Regional Governance Roadmap for Genetic Biocontrol Systems in Africa is being developed, led by AUDA-NEPAD and WHO, to strengthen regulatory systems, promote ethical oversight, support community engagement, and enhance collaboration among countries.
The Growing Challenge of Non-Communicable Diseases
Africa is undergoing a profound epidemiological transition. As life expectancy rises, non-communicable diseases have emerged as a defining public health challenge. Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and mental health conditions are rising rapidly across every region, increasingly affecting people in the prime of their lives and driving premature mortality, disability and household impoverishment.
Despite this growing burden, surveillance systems for NCDs remain fragmented and under-resourced. Only about 10 to 20 percent of people with hypertension or diabetes have access to regular care, and Africa now has the highest incidence of these conditions in the world and, by some margin, the worst rates of control. The Africa CDC has launched the SPARK–NCD programme, a flagship workforce development and surveillance strengthening initiative to embed NCD surveillance competencies within existing public health systems, particularly through the Field Epidemiology Training Programme.
Integration of HIV and NCD Services
A key challenge is that HIV programmes and NCD programmes operate separately. In Tanzania and Zanzibar, where HIV treatment is being scaled up, patients are now developing hypertension, diabetes and complications that health systems are not adequately prepared for. The integration of HIV and NCD services is being explored as a model for more efficient and comprehensive care.
Collaborative Approaches and Partnerships
A new partnership between Africa CDC and Population Services International is expanding access to immunisation and integrated primary healthcare. This partnership focuses on pharmacy-based immunisation delivery models to bring vaccination and preventive health services closer to communities through community-based platforms.
The goal is to ensure that no one misses out on life-saving immunisation and preventive care because it is too far away or too difficult to access.
With reporting from Africa CDC, WHO, Global Health EDCTP3, AUDA-NEPAD and PSI.
