Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces a disproportionate and escalating threat from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). Over the past decade, the region recorded a 63% increase in zoonotic outbreaks compared to the previous decade, frequently causing Public Health Emergencies (PHEs). This growing vulnerability is driven by compounding factors ranging from microorganisms adapting to climate change, to rapid urbanization, increased human-wildlife contact, growing investment in biotechnology research, and the persistent risk posed by non-state actors potentially misusing biological agents.
Failure to address these threats leads to catastrophic human and economic costs, as demonstrated by the estimated $200 billion loss to the COVID-19 pandemic in SSA. Urgent, coordinated, and sustained policy intervention is required to build a resilient health security architecture across the continent.
Current Status and Gaps in SSA Regional Capacity
The current capacity of Sub -Saharan Africa to cope with disease outbreaks places it far below the level required for resilient health security. In spite of regional efforts spearheaded by the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) through its Biosafety and Biosecurity (BBI) Initiative, the continent’s capabilities remain low.
The regional framework aims to enhance compliance with international regulations such as the International Health Regulations (IHR) and the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Strengthening biological security requires adherence to the core concepts of Biosafety and Biosecurity. Judging by the 2021 global health security index report, the average Biosafety and Biosecurity capacity score across Africa was only 32%, indicating limited preparedness among African nations to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to
biological threats. The goal must be to build sustainable capacity (Level 5 on the WHO Joint 5 External Evaluation scale) across all International Health Regulations (IHR) core capabilities, moving the region from a reactive crisis management posture to one of proactive, preventive. and containment. This requires a comprehensive, harmonized, and integrated system that ensures compliance with international standards.