The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has called for deeper collaboration among countries in West and Central Africa to effectively combat emerging public health threats, particularly those with cross-border implications.
This emerged in Abuja on Tuesday during the first regional learning event of the Health Security Program for Western and Central Africa that brought together key stakeholders, including the World Bank, national public health agencies, and regional institutions, to forge a unified response strategy and strengthen long-term emergency preparedness across the sub-region.
Speaking at the event, the World Bank’s Practice Manager for Health, Nutrition, and Population in West and Central Africa, Rifat Hassan, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to supporting health resilience in the region.
“This program, approved by our Board in December 2023, represents a $500 million investment to support countries in Western and Central Africa in strengthening their capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats,” she said.
She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic taught critical lessons and emphasised that the new initiative reflects a collective effort to ensure the region is better prepared for future health emergencies.
According to her, the Health Security Program builds on more than a decade of World Bank engagement in the region, particularly following the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak.
She explained that although countries had made notable gains through earlier initiatives such as the Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement (REDISSE) project, significant gaps remain.
“New threats like antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and deforestation require deeper investments and more integrated approaches,” she said.
She outlined the program’s four strategic priorities: scaling up One Health interventions linking human, animal, and environmental health; strengthening cross-border collaboration and regional institutions; addressing neglected challenges such as gender inequity and antimicrobial resistance; and aligning health security efforts with broader health system development goals.
“This program is not just about funding, it is about transforming how we work, through shared learning, coordinated action, and resilient systems.
“The learning agenda prioritises peer-to-peer exchange, helping us transform knowledge into regional public goods,” she said.
Providing further details about the structure of the program, she added that it is a regional initiative aimed at preventing, detecting, and managing disease outbreaks across West and Central Africa.
“Currently, three countries and WAHO are participating in the first phase, and we anticipate additional countries from the Sahel and Central Africa joining soon. Discussions are ongoing.
“This is a seven-year operation. Over time, more countries will come on board, building a broader coalition of coordinated public health actors across the region.
“The goal is to improve cross-border disease surveillance, coordination, and laboratory capacity, ensuring that countries are not only able to respond effectively to outbreaks, but also maintain essential health services during emergencies.
“At the end of this program, we expect to see stronger systems both within and between countries, better surveillance at points of entry, more reliable lab networks, and enhanced emergency preparedness that protects lives and livelihoods.”
Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris, who represented the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, described health security as a regional necessity that demands collective action.
“Health security is not just a national priority, it is a regional imperative..We are responding to multiple outbreaks, from Lassa fever and meningitis to cholera and COVID-19. We cannot tackle these alone. Collaboration and knowledge exchange are critical.”
Dr. Idris highlighted Nigeria’s journey, recalling that in 2017, the country scored 39 percent in the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) for health security readiness.
“By 2023, this improved to 54 percent, largely due to the implementation of the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS). A second version of the plan, NAPHS 2 (2025–2030), is now in development with a focus on strengthening sub-national capacities.
Read Also: WAHO rallies Nigerian firms, four others to manufacture COVID vaccines
“Nigeria’s approach spans emergency preparedness, surveillance, laboratory systems, and the One Health agenda. Our efforts are backed by partners like the US CDC, UKHSA, JICA, and Resolve to Save Lives. But we need sustainable financing, which is why this World Bank-supported program is timely.”
He emphasised that no country can stand alone in confronting global health threats, noting, “We’ve learned hard lessons from past outbreaks like Ebola and COVID-19.
“Today, we’re managing Lassa fever, meningitis, cholera, and others. COVID-19 hasn’t gone away, and new threats like the Marburg virus could strike at any time. We have to be ready.
“No country can stand alone. Cross-border threats require joint action. That’s the essence of this health security initiative: training participants from across the region in surveillance, preparedness, lab diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance, infection prevention, and emergency response.
“We cannot afford to work in silos. These threats don’t respect borders. If we don’t cooperate and build regional capacity together, we won’t be able to mount effective responses.
“This program is about developing joint strategies, action plans, and the workforce needed to implement them. We are fortunate to have the support of the World Bank and other partners in building this essential regional capacity.”
