The World Bank has approved the expansion of its Health Security Program (HeSP) to Central Africa, marking a major step toward strengthening health emergency preparedness and response across the region. Supported by $280 million in International Development Association (IDA) grants and credits, along with a $10 million grant from the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF), this third phase of the program will benefit Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of Congo, and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). The initiative aims to enhance regional coordination, build resilient health systems, and create inclusive employment opportunities.
HeSP focuses on increasing collaboration among Central African countries to improve their capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health emergencies, including epidemics, climate-related shocks, and zoonotic diseases. Drawing on lessons from past crises such as Ebola and COVID-19, the program aligns with national health priorities and global frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. The GFF’s contribution will specifically help Cameroon maintain essential health services for women, children, and adolescents while strengthening primary healthcare resilience.
According to Trina Haque, World Bank Regional Director for Human Development for Western and Central Africa, the region faces overlapping challenges—fragility, population displacement, porous borders, and climate change—that increase the risk of health crises. She noted that HeSP addresses these vulnerabilities by investing in disease surveillance, laboratory networks, and frontline health workers, enabling a shift from reactive crisis response to proactive preparedness.
The program also aims to strengthen regional and national contingency planning, upgrade laboratory and surveillance systems, and expand training opportunities for health professionals, particularly women in epidemiology and veterinary sciences. It will finance green and climate-resilient health infrastructure while advancing the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health to prevent future outbreaks.
Marina Wes, Acting World Bank Regional Integration Director for Western and Central Africa, highlighted that HeSP goes beyond health interventions—it serves as a regional development driver. By fostering cross-border collaboration and harmonizing health systems, the initiative will generate economic benefits through increased trade, improved mobility, and stronger social cohesion. It is expected to create thousands of jobs across health, logistics, and infrastructure sectors, particularly for youth and women in underserved areas.
Overall, the program will strengthen institutional capacities, expand laboratory and surveillance networks, and promote a diverse, gender-inclusive health workforce. Its community-centered approach will ensure that employment opportunities reach local populations while reinforcing national resilience. The HeSP is part of a larger regional initiative with a total funding envelope of $688 million, covering eight countries across West and Central Africa, aimed at building stronger, more inclusive, and sustainable health systems for the future.
