IGAD, SADC push for unified African response to cross-border health threats

African regional organisations are seeking a more coordinated approach to tackling disease outbreaks, with IGAD and SADC agreeing on a framework aimed at improving early detection, emergency preparedness and responses to health threats that spread across national borders.

The agreement followed a three-day meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, held from October 14 to 16, 2026, where regional economic communities and international partners discussed ways to strengthen health security across Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.

The meeting brought together five regional blocs: the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

Representatives from the World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), African Union Commission, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), African Medicines Agency and the World Organisation for Animal Health also took part in the discussions.

The talks centred on the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience Programme for Eastern and Southern Africa (HEPRR-MPA), which aims to build stronger health systems and improve countries' ability to manage public health emergencies. The programme covers 11 participating countries.

Participants recommended a joint action framework to guide cooperation between regional economic communities and supporting institutions. The proposed framework would outline the roles of each organisation, implementation schedules, financial commitments and performance measures to help ensure that agreed activities are carried out effectively.

Improving coordination at national borders was another key priority, with regional bodies calling for joint investments at important points of entry, formal agreements between neighbouring countries and faster exchange of information on potential health threats.

These measures are intended to help authorities identify emerging outbreaks earlier and coordinate action before diseases spread to other countries.

The meeting also recommended aligning operational procedures among regional institutions, strengthening patient referral systems and improving joint planning so that countries can work together more effectively during health emergencies.

Building the capacity of health workers was also highlighted as an important part of the proposed approach. Participants called for wider access to field epidemiology training, emergency simulation exercises and professional exchange programmes to equip specialists from different disciplines with the skills needed to manage cross-border health threats.

The recommendations further focused on improving laboratory services and diagnostic capacity, alongside closer links between human and animal health surveillance systems under the One Health approach.

The approach recognises that human health is connected to animal health and the environment, making cooperation across these areas important in identifying and managing potential public health risks.

Long-term funding also featured prominently in the discussions. Participants proposed a regional financing compact to help sustain investments in emergency preparedness and response after the current programme's funding ends.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and WHO were identified as potential partners in supporting the proposed financing arrangement and wider regional preparedness efforts.

Beyond surveillance and emergency response, the meeting called for stronger regional cooperation in the production of medical supplies and health technologies to improve access to essential products when emergencies occur.

Participants proposed a formal coordination platform to bring regional manufacturing efforts together, align production priorities, encourage the sharing of technical expertise and prevent countries and institutions from duplicating investments.

They also called for partnerships involving regional economic communities, WHO and African Union agencies to improve alignment of regulatory systems, support manufacturers and coordinate the implementation of health security priorities.

The HEPRR-MPA seeks to strengthen countries' capacity to prepare for, respond to and recover from health emergencies across Eastern, Central and Southern Africa.

The proposals emerging from the Lusaka meeting address several areas identified as important to regional health security, including financing, disease surveillance, workforce development, laboratory capacity and access to essential medical products.

The participating organisations are seeking to improve how regional institutions work together so that countries can respond more effectively to outbreaks and other public health emergencies that extend beyond national boundaries.