Senegal, WHO launch regional emergency hub to bolster Africa’s response to well being crises

Dakar – The Authorities of Senegal and World Well being Group (WHO) at the moment inaugurated a regional well being emergency hub within the Senegalese capital Dakar to additional bolster the African area’s capability to reply swiftly and successfully to well being crises and save lives.

Constructing on the teachings discovered throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO in Africa has over the previous two years labored intently with international locations within the area to determine decentralized emergency response programs to make sure an efficient response to well being crises. Below a transformative initiative, the Group has launched into a mission to determine three emergency hubs within the area.

The WHO Regional Emergency Hub in Dakar launched at the moment is the second of its type after WHO and the Authorities of Kenya launched the Nairobi well being emergency hub in 2022. A well being emergency hub in Pretoria is deliberate to be launched in 2024.

“This hub, with its varied capabilities that embody strategic pre-positioning of emergency well being provides, will allow the WHO Regional Workplace for Africa to assist international locations affected by well being or humanitarian crises reply sooner and in a extra structured method,” mentioned Amadou Ba, Prime Minister of Senegal.

The African area faces the very best variety of well being emergencies globally annually. As of November 2023, the area was grappling with greater than 130 illness outbreaks. In West Africa’s Sahel area, greater than 33 million individuals throughout six international locations presently require pressing want of life-saving humanitarian help.

The aim of the regional emergency hubs is to considerably cut back – from a mean of 45 days beforehand to a few days – the time it takes to ship life-saving, efficient emergency response to international locations after a public well being occasion has been declared. That is essential to make significant distinction within the plight of individuals affected by crises and to successfully management and finish illness outbreaks.
The well being emergency hubs additionally function centres of excellence, aiming to coach greater than 3000 African specialists, equipping them with key technical expertise important for efficient response to well being emergencies. Every of the three centres has a specialised perform, capitalizing on the comparative benefits afforded by every host nation.

“I lengthen my heartfelt appreciation to all those that have contributed to establishing this important facility,” mentioned Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Our work by means of this hub aligns with the present international dynamic in direction of emergency preparedness, vaccine manufacturing, provide chain and efficient instruments to higher reply to public well being crises.” 

The Senegal hub focuses on provide chain administration, information evaluation, innovation and data administration, the Kenya hub focuses on the event of emergency medical personnel, whereas that in south Africa specializes on analysis and improvement, and genomic surveillance.

Since September 2022 when the non permanent warehouse in Nairobi grew to become operational the supply time of essential emergency well being provides and tools inside the area has drastically lowered from at the very least three weeks to a mean of three days. The deployment of responders has additionally been lowered.

The Authorities of Senegal has allotted 5 hectares of land for the development of the Regional Emergency Hub within the outskirts of Dakar. The 8000-square-metre constructing has a 100-person workplace area. Moreover, the federal government has allotted 5000-square-metre container yard and is facilitating speedy customized clearance processes for inbound and outbound provides.

The hubs in Kenya and Senegal function a warehouse for prepositioning medical provides and tools, a state-of-the-art coaching facility, an infectious ailments unit, an emergency response simulation facility and a coaching camp for well being emergency first responders. 

The Regional Emergency Hubs will work in shut cooperation with companions and the broader United Nations ecosystem to assist international locations. WHO can be collaborating intently with the Africa Centres for Illness Management and Prevention to strengthen emergency preparedness and response and well being programs on the continent.