Kenya has signed a framework agreement with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to establish a regional health coordination centre in Nairobi, aimed at strengthening disease surveillance and emergency response across East Africa.
The planned Regional Coordinating Centre will serve 14 member states, enhancing cooperation in tackling public health threats and improving preparedness for outbreaks, Kenya’s health ministry said.
The hub is expected to boost epidemiological surveillance, facilitate the sharing of health data among countries and support faster, more coordinated responses to cross-border health emergencies.
Health authorities say the initiative comes at a critical time for the region, which continues to face recurring outbreaks of infectious diseases, including cholera, measles and Ebola.
According to Africa CDC, structural challenges such as high cross-border mobility, climate-related risks and fragile health systems have increased vulnerability to epidemics across the continent.
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In East and Southern Africa alone, more than 200,000 cholera cases were recorded in 2023, underscoring the scale of the public health challenge.
Officials say the new centre will help address gaps in coordination by providing a central platform for monitoring outbreaks, deploying rapid-response teams and aligning national health strategies.
The agreement forms part of broader efforts by Africa CDC to strengthen the continent’s health autonomy and reduce reliance on external systems for disease control and crisis response.
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In recent months, the agency has expanded partnerships with continental and global institutions, including the African Union and the United Nations Population Fund, to accelerate health innovation and capacity building.
Experts say regional coordination centres play a critical role in managing outbreaks that do not respect national borders, particularly in regions with high levels of movement of people and goods.
The Nairobi hub is also expected to support training and capacity development for health professionals, helping to strengthen the region’s ability to detect and respond to emerging threats.
Despite progress, Africa faces a significant health workforce gap. Estimates suggest the continent will need an additional 6.1 million health workers by 2030 to meet minimum coverage standards.
This shortage remains a major obstacle to achieving universal health coverage, affecting the availability and quality of care and limiting the resilience of health systems.
Kenyan officials said hosting the centre reinforces the country’s position as a regional hub for diplomacy, logistics and international cooperation.
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For Africa CDC, the initiative marks another step in building a more coordinated and self-reliant continental health architecture.
If effectively implemented, the centre could improve early warning systems, streamline responses to outbreaks and reduce the human and economic toll of health emergencies in East Africa.
The timeline for the centre’s operationalisation was not immediately disclosed, but officials indicated that preparatory work would begin following the signing of the agreement.
