Angola is stepping up its fight against cholera with a focused two-week training program to improve lab testing and disease tracking, organization announced. The effort brings together local experts, the German Epidemic Preparedness Team (SEEG), World Health Organisation (WHO), and Angola’s Ministry of Health to boost the country’s ability to spot and monitor cholera cases.
The training took place at the Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS) and combined hands-on lab work with lessons on disease surveillance. Over 40 health workers joined, including technicians from INIS and Cuanza Sul province. During the first week, they focused on growing cholera bacteria, molecular tests, checking for drug resistance, lab safety, and sample storage. The second week covered tools like DHIS2 dashboards, community reporting, and GIS mapping.
This train-the-trainer approach means participants can now pass on their knowledge across Angola. With help from WHO, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, follow-up sessions will bring more lab staff to INIS to expand skills and strengthen disease tracking.
This initiative shows what teamwork can achieve. SEEG’s ongoing technical support works alongside WHO’s emergency efforts, all supporting Angola’s goal to build stronger health systems ready for future outbreaks.
