Africa CDC and WHO Launch Unified Platform to Support Ebola Response in Africa

Addis Ababa (ANTARA) - The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the government of Uganda have officially launched the Joint Continental Incident Management Support Team (IMST) to support continental-level health emergency capabilities amidst the spreading Ebola outbreak.

In a statement released on Saturday (27/6) evening local time, Africa CDC stated that the newly launched IMST forms an integrated operational platform to strengthen Africa’s capacity to prepare for, coordinate, and respond to public health emergencies, while simultaneously supporting the response to the spreading Bundibugyo Ebola virus.

Launched at Makerere University in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, last Saturday, the IMST will support Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and neighbouring countries at risk through integrated technical assistance, operational coordination, and multidisciplinary expertise, the statement noted.

“The launch marks a significant milestone in strengthening public health emergency systems in Africa and reflects the shared commitment of Africa CDC, WHO, and African Union (AU) member states to build a faster, more coordinated, and country-led response to increasingly complex public health threats,” said Africa CDC.

The new platform strengthens regional preparedness and cross-border collaboration as a vital pillar for Africa’s health security, added the AU-specific continental public health agency.

The agency emphasised that the IMST, guided by the principles of ‘one team, one plan, and one budget’, brings together specialists in surveillance, laboratory systems, case management, infection prevention and control, logistics and emergency operations, risk communication, information management, and partner coordination to strengthen outbreak responses throughout the region.