The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention signed a new Memorandum of Understanding in Geneva. The agreement was signed on the margins of the 78th World Health Assembly.
The three-year partnership builds on their initial 2021 agreement that supported COVID-19 response across Africa. The new MoU aims to strengthen health systems and emergency response continent-wide.
The partnership focuses on community-based health services and public health emergency preparedness. Both organizations will coordinate humanitarian responses during disease outbreaks and scale up the community health workforce across more than a dozen countries. The agreement also supports disease surveillance systems and advocates for universal health coverage.
“Strong health systems start in communities,” said IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain.
The MoU promotes integration of routine and emergency health services while enhancing cross-border preparedness. IFRC and Africa CDC will mobilize technical expertise and regional networks to support national health authorities. The partnership aims to improve access to healthcare in hard-to-reach communities.
“We are investing in people—our greatest resource—to detect, respond to, and recover from health threats,” said Africa CDC Director General Dr Jean Kaseya.
The agreement aligns with the Africa CDC Strategic Plan (2023–2027) and the African Union‘s Agenda 2063. Both organizations emphasize workforce development and public health institution support. The partnership targets sustainable development goals and global health equity commitments. Implementation begins immediately across participating African countries.
