eHealth Africa unveils strategy to strengthen public health emergency response
eHealth Africa has rolled out a strategic plan aimed at strengthening public health emergency preparedness and response across the continent. The Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) Strategy for 2026–2028 is
eHealth Africa has rolled out a strategic plan aimed at strengthening public health emergency preparedness and response across the continent.
The Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) Strategy for 2026–2028 is designed as a comprehensive roadmap to improve emergency readiness, enhance coordination, and enable faster, data-driven responses to public health threats.
The plan seeks to mobilise stakeholders within the public health and emergency response ecosystem to address systemic gaps in Nigeria’s preparedness and response systems. It was unveiled at a stakeholder dissemination event in Abuja, bringing together government partners, donors, academia, and technical experts to align implementation priorities.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the organisation’s Communications Manager, Favour Oriaku, recent global health crises have underscored the importance of robust emergency management systems, including functional Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs), clear coordination structures, and reliable data flows.
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Drawing on over a decade of experience in establishing, upgrading, and managing more than 35 Public Health Emergency Operations Centres across Africa, the strategy aligns national priorities with global best practices to ensure more effective responses to health emergencies.
As part of the initiative, eHealth Africa plans to strengthen EOCs, integrate geospatial tracking systems, improve real-time data visibility, and build a skilled grassroots workforce to support timely interventions. The approach reflects the organisation’s commitment to supporting governments with scalable, technology-driven solutions that enhance health system resilience.
The strategy also prioritises integrated systems, interoperable data, and cross-sector coordination to ensure decision-makers have access to timely and accurate information.
Speaking at the event, the organisation’s Director of Programmes and Partnerships, Ota Akhigbe, stressed the need for coordinated action.
“Strong national frameworks provide direction, but impact is determined by the capacity of states and local governments to detect, report, and respond effectively. Strengthening these capabilities requires coordinated systems, reliable data, and institutions working with clarity of purpose,” she said.
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Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Supply Chain and Programme Delivery at eHealth Africa, Kazeem Balogun, said the strategy focuses on strengthening community systems to detect diseases early.
“By improving coordination structures, enhancing data visibility, and investing in workforce capacity at subnational levels, we are enabling more effective responses that ultimately improve health outcomes and save lives,” he said.
The dissemination event also provided a platform to review implementation strategies, strengthen partner alignment, and identify opportunities for collaboration and co-investment.
In her goodwill message, the National Coordinator at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Oluyinka Olayemi, emphasised the need for increased self-reliance in Africa’s health systems.
“At a time when external health aid to Africa is declining and public health emergencies are rising, we must strengthen preparedness, invest in resilient systems, and build capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats,” she said.
Through the PHEM Strategy 2026–2028, eHealth Africa aims to support countries within and beyond the continent to better anticipate, detect, and respond to public health emergencies, ultimately strengthening health systems and improving health security outcomes.
