Regional Actors Addressing Disease Surveillance and Response in Africa:Comparative Advantages, Challenges, and Opportunities

In recent years, there has been a growing trend toward regionalization on the African continent. In Africa’s health sector, regional actors have become active contributors to development and health agendas. Today’s interconnected world allows for the emergence, amplification, and spread of epidemic-prone diseases across borders and continents. Regional stakeholders working in disease surveillance and response in Africa have established niche roles for themselves, often working in partnership with other health-related entities, national governments, and international agencies. Understanding how these regional organizations operate, as well as their comparative advantages and challenges, will ensure that governments, policymakers, donors, and implementers partner with them effectively to develop strong and viable disease surveillance and response systems and protect the African population from emerging public health threats. This technical brief is part of the ASH project Regional Health Sector Actor Landscape Series.