# West and Central African health security coordination > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/west-and-central-african-health-security-coordination > Updated: 2026-11-02T15:26:03.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2. Regional efforts to strengthen public health preparedness in West and Central Africa have expanded through new research and coordination initiatives. In late October 2026, the Africa Research Preparedness Programme for West Africa was launched. This initiative utilizes a hub-and-spoke model to connect research institutions, aiming to activate clinical research responses within 10 to 15 days of outbreaks involving diseases such as Ebola, Mpox, Lassa fever, and COVID-19. By early November 2026, cooperation intensified as health officials from Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic met in Douala to coordinate responses to cholera, Mpox, and Ebola, specifically targeting surveillance in the Lake Chad basin. Additionally, the third phase of the Health Security Programme was launched in Brazzaville, Congo, involving approximately 180 delegates to harmonize health alerts and strengthen epidemic prevention across the region. ## Timeline ### 2026-11-02: Central and West African nations coordinate response to health and refugee crises African nations are strengthening regional cooperation to combat cholera, Mpox, and Ebola outbreaks while coordinating the voluntary repatriation of Central African refugees from Chad. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cameroon-hosts-regional-health-summit-in-douala ### 2026-10-24: West Africa launches regional research programme for outbreak response A new regional initiative in West Africa aims to coordinate research institutions to enable clinical responses within 10 to 15 days of disease outbreaks like Ebola and Mpox. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/west-africa-launches-regional-research-programme-for-outbreak-response --- Cite as: West and Central African health security coordination. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/west-and-central-african-health-security-coordination