The Kenyan government and the World Health Organization on Saturday opened the first of a network of African centers they claim will speed up responses to regional emergencies, a medical emergency hub in Nairobi.
A training center, a staff of experts who can respond to a medical emergency within 24 hours, and a supply of medical supplies will all be housed in the facility.
In every African nation, according to the WHO, these swift reaction teams should be established.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, told the media, “We see the continent expressing in very practical terms its determination to be better prepared for the next pandemic… this is going to be our contribution to helping countries build their capacity to be much better prepared and better able to respond.”
Kenya will develop into a regional hub for medical equipment, assisting neighboring nations in obtaining necessary medications more quickly.
There was no timetable for when the center would be completely functional, but according to Moeti, WHO will begin working immediately to assist nations in identifying and training their national emergency responders.
According to the WHO, more health emergencies occur in Africa each year than in any other region of the globe.
In addition to COVID-19 and monkey pox across the continent, the global health organization is currently keeping an eye on probable instances of the highly contagious Marburg virus in Ghana, measles in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and cholera in Cameroon.
“All of this needs very strong preparations so that the national systems are ready to manage that when things happen that are going to induce an increase in vulnerability to sickness and illness,” Moeti added.
