Johannesburg, South Africa — Despite significant strides in health security capacity over the past five years, Africa grapples with persisting gaps, as highlighted by the newly released Africa Health Security (AHS) Index. This development comes amidst the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, underscoring the continent’s vulnerability to health emergencies.
The AHS Index, a collaborative effort by African and global research organizations, indicates that Africa’s health security capacity has improved by nearly 30% compared to five years ago.
However, the average score of 41. 5 out of 100 reveals that no country has reached adequate preparedness levels, with biosecurity and biosafety remaining critically low. While 52 out of 54 African countries have shown improvement, the index also reveals that biosecurity and biosafety capacities have improved but still pose a significant risk.
The average biosecurity score is 14. 9, biosafety 18. 2, and dual-use research of concern 1.
9 out of 100. Judith Omumbo, Head of Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation for the Science for Africa Foundation, a co-lead of the AHS Index, emphasizes the importance of the index in guiding African-controlled health investments and policy decisions. “It measures our unique strengths and strategic opportunities and provides the evidence base for African-controlled health investments and policy decisions, “Omumbo.
The index’s findings come at a critical time as Africa deals with multiple health emergencies, including the ongoing Ebola outbreak and the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
The scale and speed of rising health threats necessitate urgent actions and increased investment in health security systems.
The AHS Index serves as a call to action for African governments and international partners to prioritize health security investments. Addressing the identified gaps, such as strengthening biosecurity and biosafety capacities, improving disease surveillance, and enhancing outbreak detection systems, is crucial for building resilience against future health crises.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: Panafricanvisions
Source: Pan African Visions
