Ghanaian Health Minister calls for enhanced African disease surveillance

Ghanaian Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has called for intensified regional cooperation to strengthen disease surveillance and emergency preparedness across Africa. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Regional Technical Advisory Committee in Accra, Akandoh emphasized that public health threats do not respect national borders.

He highlighted the necessity of improved cross-border surveillance, information sharing, and resilient supply chains to combat emerging threats such as Ebola, mpox, Marburg, and antimicrobial resistance. The Minister stressed that individual nations cannot effectively manage outbreaks in isolation and urged for deeper solidarity to contain diseases before they spread.

To advance health sovereignty, Akandoh advocated for increased investment in the local production of essential medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics. This strategy aims to reduce the continent's reliance on external sources during health emergencies and ensure a more rapid, collective response to future outbreaks.