The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a warning that no African country can afford to be complacent about public health emergencies. This has been the message at high-level SADC health discussions in Durban, where regional leaders are considering ways to improve preparedness for future outbreaks.
Africa CDC Southern Regional Coordinator Doctor Peter Kumpalume says countries must strengthen disease surveillance, early warning systems and cross-border information sharing to detect and contain outbreaks.
He says the region must stand together in responding to health threats, warning that no country can tackle these challenges alone.
“For Southern Africa, this outbreak is a call to action. We must invest in early warning and surveillance systems, cross-border information sharing, laboratory, and resource capacity, emergency response and effective community engagement. Our countries must be able to detect early. Next week, we meet in Johannesburg to discuss this very issue. How ready are we to deal with the first case in our member state?” says Kumpalume.
Meanwhile, SADC member states are expected to develop a joint regional response plan within the next two weeks to strengthen preparedness for the Ebola outbreak.
SADC senior officer responsible for Health and HIV, Lamboly Kumboneki, says ministers have also agreed to share critical health information and establish a regional alert system that will notify member states of an outbreak within 24 hours.
“More than 6 months now, our state has started already putting in place a portal for such a screening, such as filling the forms when you arrive at the airports, but also the temperature screening. Those are key protocol steps in terms of triaging, but in terms of also ensuring that those who are coming, not moving with the diseases, but we are preventing the diseases to cross the border,” says Kumboneki.
SADC Ministers tackle malaria, ebola, climate change, HIV funding and medicine supply challenges:
– By Gcinokuhle Malinga