Harare: In a powerful display of regional unity and commitment to strengthening public health systems, senior health officials, government leaders, and public health professionals from across Southern Africa convened in Harare, Zimbabwe, for the Fourth Annual Southern African National Public Health Institute (NPHI) Meeting.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the event, held under the theme ‘Strengthened Information, Knowledge Sharing and Peer-to-Peer Mentorship,’ aimed to emphasize the urgent need for fully functional and sustainable national public health institutes across the continent. The meeting brought together member states, development partners, and public health advocates.
Speaking on behalf of the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), Dr. Talkmore Maruta delivered a keynote speech that outlined the opportunity and responsibility of establishing robust NPHIs. Dr. Maruta emphasized that countries without operational NPHIs are denying their populations essential protections and services. R
ecent data from the Africa CDC revealed that only 18 of 55 AU member states currently have fully functional NPHIs, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
The meeting also facilitated renewed partnerships between ASLM and the Africa CDC in areas such as pathogen genomics, antimicrobial resistance, and workforce training. Delegates stressed that NPHIs are critical for enabling governments to mount rapid, effective responses to health threats and ensure continuity in disease surveillance and control.
Speaking on behalf of Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya, Dr. Lul Riek, the Regional Director of Africa CDC, commended NPHI directors and delegation heads for their participation. The meeting’s theme aligns with Africa CDC’s New Public Health Order, a continental health vision developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The New Public Health Order calls for a paradigm shift to prepare Africa for future health threats, anchored on five pillars: strengthening NPHIs, expanding local manufacturing of
medical supplies, enhancing the health workforce, increasing domestic health financing, and building action-oriented partnerships.
The Africa CDC emphasized the urgent need for all 55 African Union Member States to have fully functional NPHIs capable of leading disease prevention, surveillance, and health systems coordination. Public health threats such as COVID-19, Marburg virus, and Mpox have revealed deep gaps in Africa’s preparedness, underscoring the necessity for robust NPHIs.
Framed within the African Union’s Agenda 2063: ‘The Africa We Want,’ the call to action aims to protect health and unlock the continent’s full potential. The Africa CDC reiterated its commitment to supporting all AU Member States in building resilient, science-driven health systems, emphasizing the importance of creating a global health security network that leaves no one behind.
The two-day meeting is expected to foster stronger regional collaboration, promote peer mentorship, and accelerate the operationalization of national
public health institutes across Southern Africa.