African Organizations Launch Nairobi Declaration on Health Security and Disease Surveillance

More than 20 civil society and community organizations across Africa urged governments to prioritize epidemic preparedness and disease surveillance during an event in Nairobi. The call came at the launch of the Nairobi Declaration on African Health Security and Collaborative Disease Surveillance, which brought together groups from at least 15 countries.

Participating organizations included Nigeria Health Watch, Speak Up Africa, and 1Day Sooner.

The organizations called on governments to integrate disease surveillance into national planning and to allocate at least 15 percent of budgets to health. Aggrey Aluso warned that gaps in funding and surveillance leave vulnerable communities at greater risk. Zacharia Kafuko called for operationalizing a continent-wide system for detection and monitoring of diseases.

The groups also urged the establishment of accountability mechanisms through bodies such as the African Union and Africa CDC. AllAfrica reported these developments in an article published on 4 May 2026. The article was written by Kevin Rotich and originated from Capital FM in Nairobi.

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day. It aggregates content from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals.