Emerging diseases
To be written by SolthisWhy Are Emerging Infectious Diseases a Priority?
West and Central Africa are particularly vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases such as Ebola, Lassa fever, and, more recently, mpox.
Deforestation and climate change are major contributing factors to this vulnerability.
Capacities for epidemiological surveillance and rapid response have improved significantly in recent years. However, each outbreak can profoundly destabilize health systems and compromise prevention, screening, and treatment efforts for other health issues.
Strengthening health systems that are resilient to outbreaks is therefore a top priority.