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Knowledge brokering platform to transform Africa's health system

By Edith Mutethya in Nairobi, Kenya | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2020-11-24 17:19
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An Ethiopian health worker stands at a testing station amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 20, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]

While coronavirus exposed existing gaps in Africa's health system, raising fears the continent could be hit hard by the pandemic, the outbreak has created an opportunity for the continent to work toward improving its health system for better management of future plagues.

To that end, several initiatives have been launched to improve the continent's health system, with the latest being an online platform to promote the exchange of evidence and experience across African countries.

Launched on Monday by the World Health Organization and partners, the African Health Observatory Platform on Health Systems and Policy aims to facilitate cross-country learning and accelerate the uptake of high-quality evidence and experiences reflecting the complexity and diversity of the region.

Through frequent policymaker input and engagement, the platform seeks to respond to policy needs with timely support and reliable evidence tailored and packaged in ways that are useful and usable for policymakers.

Outputs range from country-specific profiles covering health systems and their performance, to policy briefs on topical issues requiring evidence to guide decision-making.

"This is a significant step. So much data and research in Africa is produced, but not always shared," said Dr Humphrey Karamagi, team leader for data, analytics and knowledge management at the WHO Regional Office for Africa. "The experience-sharing occurring between countries on all types of health conditions could be used to deliver services people are actually asking for."

Leading public health research institutions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and Senegal are generating knowledge through the collection, analysis and synthesis of evidence for use by decision-makers at national and regional levels.

"By adding the knowledge component, we want to provide a one-stop shop that will bridge the gap between research and decision-makers to accelerate the progress towards access to affordable and quality health services," Karamagi said.

Other initiatives launched during the coronavirus period include a web-based tool, launched in September by the Africa CDC in partnership with the International Health Regulations Strengthening Project of Public Health England.

The tool is aimed at facilitating rapid deployment and better administration of a standby workforce for public health emergencies across Africa.

Dubbed AVoHC Net, the tool has been enabling easy and rapid access to updated profiles of members of the African Volunteer Health Corps, exchange of relevant information with partners for public health emergency deployments, training of experts on disaster preparedness, management and response and access to country-specific health profiles for risk mapping and vulnerability assessment.

In October, Africa CDC launched the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative to boost disease surveillance and emergency response capacity in Africa.

The $100 million, four-year partnership will expand access to next-generation genomic sequencing tools and expertise designed to strengthen public health surveillance and laboratory networks across Africa.

The network is expected to not only help identify and inform research and public health responses to coronavirus and other epidemic threats, but also for endemic diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, cholera and other infectious diseases.

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