Ebola: Africa CDC urges African ownership, accountability in outbreak response

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has urged African governments to take greater ownership of disease outbreak responses, invest in their health systems and hold development partners accountable as the continent battles the Ebola virus outbreak.

The agency’s Director-General, Jean Kaseya, said governments must ensure that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other partners receiving donor funds were accountable to national authorities and aligned their activities with government-led response plans.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, Mr Kaseya said stronger African leadership and coordination were essential to containing outbreaks and preventing future health emergencies.

“We need to invest in our own system,” Mr Kaseya said.

Regional outbreak

Mr Kaseya said the Africa CDC declared the outbreak a regional and continental concern on 15 May because of the risk of cross-border transmission.

He explained that while an outbreak confined to one country fell primarily under that country’s authority, an outbreak affecting multiple countries required a coordinated regional response.

“When we have an outbreak in one country, it is the sovereignty of the country. But when we have it in more than one country, it becomes the mandate of the Africa CDC,” he said.

He said insecurity, humanitarian challenges and population movements in the area where the outbreak began informed the agency’s assessment.

According to him, the affected area was a mining hub where the movement of people increased the likelihood of the virus spreading across borders.

Mr Kaseya said Nigeria was not among the countries initially identified as being at risk because the outbreak was then concentrated in the eastern and central parts of Africa.

Nigeria’s first confirmed case has since heightened concerns about the country’s preparedness and the need for effective surveillance, contact tracing and infection prevention.

Accountability of partners

Mr Kaseya called for greater accountability from international organisations and NGOs involved in outbreak responses, particularly those receiving funding from external donors.

“We don’t want to see NGOs and partners getting money from donors and not being responsible vis-à-vis the government. That one would never happen again in Africa,” he said.

He said governments must ensure that all organisations involved in an emergency response work under a unified plan established by national authorities.

Mr Kaseya argued that stronger coordination would help ensure resources were directed towards urgent needs and that governments maintained oversight of response activities.

He cited funding commitments following a meeting with African heads of state, supported by development partners, as an example of efforts to strengthen African ownership.

He also referred to a task force convened by Nigeria’s president on Wednesday, which he said had decided to provide funding for the outbreak response.

However, he warned against focusing on blaming international partners rather than addressing the weaknesses exposed by the outbreak.

“Otherwise, if we want just to blame our partners, we will not resolve any issue,” he said.

Nigeria’s response

Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola virus disease on 20 October, prompting health authorities to activate response measures.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has been coordinating surveillance and other public health interventions to limit the risk of further transmission.

PREMIUM TIMES previously reported the NCDC’s warning about the risk of the virus being imported into Nigeria following cases reported in East Africa.

The risk of cross-border spread has highlighted the importance of regional surveillance and cooperation, particularly as people travel between countries for work, trade and other activities.

Regional death toll

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had recorded 9,552 confirmed cases and 4,602 related deaths as of 19 October, based on data available up to 18 October.

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Kenya had also reported nine confirmed cases, including one death, as of 20 October, following an imported case involving a person who had travelled from the DRC through Uganda.

Uganda recorded 20 cases between May and June. The WHO declared the outbreak there over on 25 August after 42 days without a new confirmed cases.

Bundibugyo virus disease is a form of Ebola virus disease that can cause severe illness and death. It spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials.

There is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for Bundibugyo virus disease, making early detection, isolation, contact tracing and infection prevention central to outbreak control.

Mr Kaseya said African countries must use the current outbreak to strengthen their health systems and establish clearer accountability among governments and their partners.