Nairobi — More than 20 civil society and community organisations across Africa have urged governments to prioritise epidemic preparedness and disease surveillance, warning that weak systems could undermine responses to future outbreaks.
The call was made during the launch of the *Nairobi Declaration on African Health Security and Collaborative Disease Surveillance*, bringing together groups from at least 15 countries, including Nigeria Health Watch, Speak Up Africa and 1Day Sooner.
The organisations said many African countries still face recurring disease outbreaks amid pressures from climate change, conflict and displacement, while surveillance systems remain underfunded and heavily reliant on external support.
They called on governments to integrate disease surveillance into national planning and allocate at least 15 percent of budgets to health, alongside increased domestic financing to strengthen preparedness.
Aggrey Aluso warned that gaps in funding and surveillance leave vulnerable communities at greater risk, while Zacharia Kafuko called for operationalising a continent-wide system for detection and monitoring of diseases.
The groups also urged stronger coordination among stakeholders and the establishment of accountability mechanisms through bodies such as the African Union and Africa CDC to track progress in strengthening health security systems.