Regional public health experts, government officials, and development partners convened in Nairobi this week to strengthen East Africa’s cross-border response to disease outbreaks, with a sharp focus on the spread of mpox and other emerging health threats.
The meeting, organised by the World Health Organization (WHO), underscored the urgent need for coordinated action, real-time data sharing, and harmonised rapid response systems across national boundaries.
These measures, delegates agreed, are vital to preventing and controlling infectious disease outbreaks that can quickly escalate beyond borders.
Dr Ramadan Otim, Emergency Response Manager for WHO Africa, told participants that collaboration was no longer optional in the fight against mpox.
“We have seen how diseases like mpox do not respect borders. Regional cooperation is not just necessary, it is urgent,” Dr Otim said.
“Our shared goal is to detect and respond to outbreaks quickly, wherever they occur.”
His remarks came amid continued reports of mpox cases across several African countries. WHO has been providing support to member states through expert guidance, emergency team deployment, and mobilisation of resources to boost readiness and response.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that has posed renewed public health concerns in Africa following outbreaks in both rural and urban settings.
Though several countries have made advances in detection and treatment, experts at the summit warned that fragmented national responses risk undermining continent-wide progress.
Delegates discussed key strategies to harmonise disease surveillance systems, enhance national emergency operations centres, and expand public awareness and community engagement—particularly in remote and vulnerable areas.
The conference forms part of WHO’s wider initiative to build stronger regional health security, aligned with the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) and the Africa CDC’s vision for integrated public health systems.
Participants agreed to accelerate the establishment of regional task forces and share best practices in risk communication, border health controls, and contact tracing.
With the frequency of cross-border health threats increasing, experts say joint preparedness will remain essential to safeguarding populations, especially as climate change and mobility patterns continue to reshape the region’s disease landscape.