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Global Health Institutions Need Africa

Though pandemic preparedness requires global collaboration, Africa’s interests historically have been sidelined. Genuine inclusion of African voices in policy deliberations, especially early in the process, is the only way to establish common positions that do not leave the Global South to fend for itself.

ADDIS ABABA – Public-health policy has adopted an increasingly expansive perspective in recent years, reflecting a growing awareness of the many factors influencing human well-being, including the health of ecosystems and animals, and the need to facilitate global collaboration. By bridging disciplines and transcending borders, we can better address emerging threats and improve health outcomes for all.

Global pandemic preparedness, for example, requires international alignment on how to modify health infrastructure and tailor responses. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), of which I am acting director, has participated in several global discussions on the subject, ensuring that Africa’s interests – and the Global South’s perspective more generally – are represented in venues where they have been historically sidelined. Genuine inclusion of African voices in policy deliberations, especially early in the process, is the only way to establish common positions that do not leave low- and middle-income countries to fend for themselves.

As the public-health arm of the African Union (AU), the Africa CDC collaborates with member states on numerous regional programs. The next step is to increase the continent’s participation in global decision-making, especially when policies have greater implications for places where disease outbreaks and health emergencies are more frequent – like most countries in Africa. Currently, voices from the Global South are rarely heard on the international stage, and African participants at global health forums and conferences are often isolated, or else included further downstream only after decisions have already been made. Thoughtful, deliberate action is therefore required to bring these stakeholders to the table early on.

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