Africa Through the Eyes of Emerging and Re-emerging Pathogens: A Call for Global Synergy

Abstract

Africa and Asia have a high burden of infectious pathogens of high consequence. Unfortunately, Africa ’s epidemic preparedness and outbreak response lags behind those of other regions of the world. This article highlights the burden and negative consequences of infectious pathogen on the continent, and its risk to the global community. Estimated 15 million (25%) of the 57 million global annual death is attributable to infectious diseases, majority of which occurs in Africa. Approximately 50% of deaths in Africa are due to infectious diseases, compared to only 2% in Europe. Infectious diseases remain a great impediment to Africa’s aspiration of achieving its 2063 developmental blueprint: ‘‘Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.’’ Infectious diseases play a significant role in retarding all developmental indices on the African continent. A substantial risk of wildlife zoonotic and vector-borne emerging infectious diseases exists mainly at lower-latitude developing countries such as tropical Africa. The globe is intrinsically interconnected as infectious disease does not respect boundaries, however, the negative effects of the threat caused by infection is more profound in Africa. Several highprofile infectious disease outbreaks, such as those caused by the Ebola, yellow fever and Zika viruses exposes the vulnerability of Africa to infectious diseases threat. The persistent threat by emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases as exemplified by SARS- CoV-2 and monkeypox virus outbreaks underscore the expedient need for global synergy in preventing, promptly detecting, and effectively limiting outbreaks, no matter where or when they emerge.</jats:p