The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention want to involve young Africans in public health governance. How did this come about and how will it work?

‘The COVID pandemic has shone a bright light on our continent’s frail health systems and on the enormous health inequities across the globe. It made me realise that, as a health security specialist, I must step up to help save lives and rebuild livelihoods here in Africa,’ says Frankline Sevidzem Wirsiy, a young epidemiologist from Cameroon.

This kind of spirit and resolve is exactly what the African Union (AU) and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) are looking for in their current attempt to involve the young generation in public health governance across the continent. Wirsiy himself has been appointed a member of the Africa CDC’s Youth Advisory Team for Health, the YAT4H.

In September 2022, Africa CDC called for a holistic New Public Health Order as a basis for attaining long-term preparedness for future pandemics and strong regional health security. As part of this, it launched new initiatives to mobilise Africa’s young people to get involved in line with Aspiration 1 of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 on health – getting young people involved in health issues.

To achieve this, Africa CDC called for “action-oriented partnerships” with development partners. On behalf of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) implements the Strengthening Crisis and Pandemic Response in Africa project, committed to the advancement of Africa’s health security by enhancing the organisational resilience of Africa CDC. Part of this commitment is technical support to Africa CDC’s endeavour to get young people involved.

More here: