Eight Southern African countries—Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe—have joined forces in a USD 35.8 million, three-year initiative to prevent, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks before they reach communities. The program, titled Strengthening One Health Disease Surveillance and Response in Southern Africa, is coordinated by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Nairobi Hub, and integrates human, animal, and environmental health to address climate-driven disease threats.
Dr. Dick Chamla, Pandemic Fund Portfolio Manager at WHO AFRO, emphasized that disease outbreaks pose health and economic risks that transcend borders. The initiative equips countries with the tools to respond early, safeguard lives, protect livelihoods, and maintain regional stability. Since January 2025, the participating countries have begun implementing activities such as establishing national steering committees, selecting delivery partners, mapping high-risk areas, and strengthening surveillance, laboratory, and health worker capacities.
To consolidate progress and maximize impact over the next two years, WHO is convening the project’s first in-person meeting in Botswana. The two-day forum will bring together stakeholders from all eight countries to share initial results, promote coordination across country workplans, enhance country ownership, and build subregional communities of practice around key project themes.
The success of the initiative depends on building trust and fostering cross-border partnerships. Technical solutions alone are insufficient without strong relationships, shared accountability, and continuous dialogue, which enable rapid, coordinated action during outbreaks. Dr. Fabian Ndenzako, WHO Representative to Botswana, highlighted that early detection and faster laboratory confirmation in one country benefits all neighboring nations, reinforcing regional health security.
Beyond immediate outbreak preparedness, the project seeks to strengthen health systems, reduce human and economic costs of emergencies, and bolster Southern Africa’s capacity to protect its populations, borders, and economies against future disease threats.
