https://en.sputniknews.africa/20260610/stopping-next-outbreak-before-it-starts-what-it-takes-to-keep-africa-safe-1086552709.html
Stopping Next Outbreak Before It Starts: What It Takes to Keep Africa Safe
Stopping Next Outbreak Before It Starts: What It Takes to Keep Africa Safe
Sputnik Africa
As Africa confronts evolving disease threats and growing demands for health security, experts are increasingly calling for stronger local capacity in research... 10.06.2026, Sputnik Africa
2026-06-10T17:39+0200
2026-06-10T17:39+0200
2026-06-10T17:39+0200
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Stopping Next Outbreak Before It Starts: What It Takes to Keep Africa Safe
Sputnik Africa
As Africa confronts evolving disease threats and growing demands for health security, experts are increasingly calling for stronger local capacity in research, surveillance, and pharmaceutical production. The conversation is shifting beyond emergency response toward building resilient systems that can protect communities and strengthen the continent’s long-term public health independence.
The conversation is shifting beyond emergency response toward building resilient systems that can protect communities and strengthen the continent’s long-term public health independence.Global South Pole spoke with Dr. Jia Kangbai, an infectious disease epidemiologist, public health specialist, and senior lecturer at Njala University in Sierra Leone, about the ongoing Ebola outbreak, the challenges posed by emerging virus strains, and the broader need for Africa to accelerate investments in vaccine manufacturing, disease surveillance, and healthcare infrastructure.Dr. Kangbai argued that Africa’s long-term health resilience will depend on strengthening primary healthcare systems, building robust disease surveillance networks, and investing in pharmaceutical industries capable of producing vaccines and therapeutics locally. He stressed that greater collaboration among African researchers, institutions, and governments could help the continent become more self-reliant in responding to outbreaks while reducing dependence on external suppliers during public health emergencies.To listen to the whole discussion, tune in to the Global South Pole podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on Telegram.► You can also listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Castbox, Pocket Casts, Afripods, Podcast Addict, Overcast, and Mave Stream.► Check out all the episodes of Global South Pole
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sierra leone, africa, podcasts, ebola, health ministry, health, healthcare, world health organization (who), heath, science, vaccine, covid-19, discovery, african union (au), technology, biotechnology, research, аудио
Stopping Next Outbreak Before It Starts: What It Takes to Keep Africa Safe
Aliyu Bello
Correspondent, Podcast Host
As Africa confronts evolving disease threats and growing demands for health security, experts are increasingly calling for stronger local capacity in research, surveillance, and pharmaceutical production.
The conversation is shifting beyond emergency response toward building resilient systems that can protect communities and strengthen the continent’s long-term public health independence.
Global South Pole spoke with Dr. Jia Kangbai, an infectious disease epidemiologist, public health specialist, and senior lecturer at Njala University in Sierra Leone, about the ongoing Ebola outbreak, the challenges posed by emerging virus strains, and the broader need for Africa to accelerate investments in vaccine manufacturing, disease surveillance, and healthcare infrastructure.
Dr. Kangbai argued that Africa’s long-term health resilience will depend on strengthening primary healthcare systems, building robust disease surveillance networks, and investing in pharmaceutical industries capable of producing vaccines and therapeutics locally. He stressed that greater collaboration among African researchers, institutions, and governments could help the continent become more self-reliant in responding to outbreaks while reducing dependence on external suppliers during public health emergencies.
"African countries should invest heavily in their primary health care system […] because the primary health system is the first point of contact […] in remote areas, villages. The problems that cause outbreaks hardly occur within cities. [...] If African countries invest heavily in primary healthcare, some of the problems we keep fighting will not arrive. […] They should also have a robust surveillance system within that primary care system. […] Once an outbreak is detected in a remote village, information can be cascaded up to the national level. […] The country should also invest heavily in therapeutic and vaccine production. […] There should be a robust pharmaceutical industry able to produce those vaccines and medications to tackle the outbreak. […] So we’ll be more or less sovereign in terms of our health system," Dr. Kangbai urged.
To listen to the whole discussion, tune in to the
Global South Pole podcast, brought to you by
Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on
Telegram.► Check out all the episodes of Global South Pole 
