Summary
Lessons and best practices from outbreaks during 2022–25 in Africa were not comprehensively documented or shared to inform future outbreak responses. We conducted a narrative review of published articles and outbreak response reports of mpox, cholera, Ebola virus disease, and Marburg virus disease and captured experts' perspectives and lessons. We analysed and presented the data in themes. Evidence indicates that effective responses are built on routine investments maintained between outbreaks, particularly in decentralised laboratories, digital surveillance systems, community structures, and clinical trial readiness. The institutionalisation of response mechanisms through national public health institutes, incident management systems, and emergency operations centres reflects a maturing continental preparedness architecture, reinforced by rapid regional solidarity, south–south cooperation, and timely partner support. National political leadership was crucial in mobilising resources and ensuring public compliance, whereas innovations such as expanded genomic surveillance, timely deployment of investigational countermeasures, mobility-aware outbreak control, and improved early-warning systems strengthened responses to outbreaks. The successful control of these recent outbreaks highlights the importance of strengthening preparedness, institutionalising response systems, and fostering coordinated, Africa-led health security frameworks to support resilient and sustainable outbreak response.
Source:
Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(26)00160-9/fulltext
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