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The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has issued a critical warning on the mounting health crises across Africa, calling for urgent and coordinated efforts from African nations and global partners. The agency highlighted that these growing challenges threaten to reverse decades of progress in health security on the continent.
In a statement released on Friday, Africa CDC expressed grave concerns over a surge in health emergencies. This comes as wealthier nations have increasingly prioritized their domestic needs, scaling back development assistance. A recent example is the 90-day pause in US foreign aid, which has exacerbated the situation. According to Africa CDC projections, the absence of swift and decisive action could lead to an additional 2 to 4 million preventable deaths annually, dragging morbidity and mortality rates back to early 2000s levels.
The Africa CDC also highlighted the impact of ongoing conflicts and insecurities in various regions of the continent, further complicating efforts to control disease outbreaks. Director-General Jean Kaseya underscored the necessity for collective global action to combat multiple outbreaks, including the Marburg virus in Tanzania and the resurgence of Ebola in Uganda.
Since January 20, Tanzania has reported 10 cases of the Marburg virus, all of which have resulted in fatalities, marking a 100% case fatality rate. Meanwhile, the continent is also grappling with an ongoing mpox outbreak, which has spread to 21 countries, resulting in more than 9,950 cases and 85 deaths in 2025.
To address these mounting challenges, Africa CDC is urging African leaders to take immediate steps to increase domestic investment in public health and explore innovative financing mechanisms to strengthen the continent’s health security and emergency preparedness. The agency stressed that without immediate intervention, Africa risks facing major health setbacks.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a statement released by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and does not represent new original reporting. All statistics and projections are sourced from the Africa CDC.
