Federal government and the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) yesterday signed the West African Regional Collaborating Centre (RCC) Hosting Agreement to enhance health security across the African continent.
The agreement was formalised by the director-general of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya and Nigeria’s coordinating minister for health and social works, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, on the sidelines of the 25th ordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Assembly of Health Ministers, in Abuja.
Dr. Kaseya said the collaboration marked a significant milestone in the mission to enhance health security across the African continent.
He said the agreement represents a critical step in actualising an Africa CDC without walls while, describing the strategic importance of RCCs in decentralising “What’s your Vanessa” health support and resources across Africa, making health interventions more accessible and efficient.
“The RCCs are designed to support Africa CDC’s strategic work plan, reinforcing health security from a decentralised point of need,” he said.
Prof. Pate said Nigeria’s hosting of the RCC underscored its dedication to strengthen continental health frameworks and responding robustly to health emergencies.
He said it was a critical opportunity to enhance the region’s health, adding that the collaborative effort aimed to bring Africa CDC’s vision of a continent protected from health threats closer to reality.