ADDIS ABABA – Africa’s response to COVID-19 has gained global recognition for its fast and targeted action.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control has helped direct the continent’s 54 countries into an alliance praised for responding better than some richer countries, including the United States. 

In late February, after Egypt confirmed Africa’s first COVID-19 cases, John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control, called a high-level meeting of health ministers. More than 40 ministers from around the continent scrambled to Addis Ababa on February 22. Nigeria’s health minister, Osagie Ehanire, even changed his schedule while on a trip to Europe to be present.

Within days, Africa CDC had produced the Africa Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19, a blueprint to coordinate government action to combat the coronavirus, Nkengasong told VOA in an interview. Zimbabwe, which had not yet confirmed its first case, preemptively implemented a full state emergency that restricted flights and large gatherings.

In June, the Africa CDC launched a joint procurement platform so governments can get protective personal equipment and other medical supplies. A testing campaign has resulted in more than 15 million tests being conducted across the continent to date.

Nkengasong said that South Africa, which holds the rotating presidency of the African Union, convenes talks between heads of state and the Africa CDC once a month. And a campaign has recently been designed to coordinate how people in Africa travel through airports.

Emmanuel Agogo, country representative for Resolve to Save Lives, said a World Health Organization initiative of Joint External Evaluations, which helps countries to prevent, detect and respond to public health risks, bolstered the ability of governments to act quickly.