DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania: Tanzania has joined a seven-nation African initiative aimed at strengthening early detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks, organisers said, as health emergencies rise across the continent.
The programme, led by Project ECHO at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, will also operate in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and Zambia.
It is funded by a two-year, $2.2 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and supports ministries of health and public health institutes through training and cross-border knowledge exchange.
“Health workers need timely, up-to-date information to respond quickly and effectively when outbreaks occur,” said Caroline Kisia, Project ECHO’s Africa director.
Africa recorded 242 disease outbreaks in 2024, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, underscoring the urgency of strengthening surveillance systems.
The programme promotes collaborative surveillance, integrating data, governance and financing across sectors, in line with guidance from the World Health Organization.
Project ECHO will deliver training through digital learning networks, enabling peer-to-peer exchange while reducing costs.
Health experts say regional cooperation is increasingly important as climate shocks, mobility and urbanisation raise outbreak risks, particularly in East Africa.
