AFENET partners with US CDC and other partners to conduct a Strengthen Regional Lass Fever Preparedness and Response

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), in partnership with the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC), the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), and Integrated Quality Laboratory Services (IQLS), is conducting a Regional Simulation Exercise (SimEx) on Lassa fever preparedness and response in Benin from May 4–8, 2026. The SimEx will assess surveillance, laboratory, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, and cross-border coordination capacities across Benin, Mali, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso, with a focus on surveillance and laboratory officers.

Coordinated by Dr Kerton Victory, U.S. CDC West Africa Workforce Development Regional Advisor, the SimEx was officially launched on May 4, 2026, in Cotonou by the Government of Benin represented by Dr Ali IMOROU BAH CHABI, Secretary General, Ministry of Health. In his remarks, Dr Ali IMOROU BAH CHABI highlighted Lassa fever’s epidemic potential and cross-border risk and emphasized the importance of regional collaboration and multisectoral coordination.

He noted ongoing reforms in Benin to strengthen public health emergency management, including establishment of the National Agency for Primary Health Care (serving as the National Public Health Institute) and operationalization of the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC). He also recognized participating experts and country delegations and acknowledged partner support, including AFENET, IQLS, RCSDC, Resolve to Save Lives, and the U.S. CDC.

Mr Shane Dixson, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy Cotonou, reaffirmed the U.S. Government’s commitment to global health security and underscored that strengthening preparedness and response systems is a critical investment in the region’s health and economic future.

Dr Herbert Kazoora, Senior Epidemiologist at AFENET, said the SimEx supports AFENET’s vision of “A Healthier Africa” by strengthening resilient health systems to contain threats such as Lassa fever. He added that the exercise reinforces a shared commitment to regional health security and improved preparedness for emerging and re-emerging threats.

AFENET technical staff supporting the SimEx included Dr Seogo Hamadou (Regional Technical Coordinator, Francophone West Africa), Dr Donne Ameme (Regional Technical Coordinator, Anglophone West Africa), Dr Nestor Noudeke (Resident Advisor, Benin Field Epidemiology Training Program), and Dr Marianne Bonkano and Dr Victor Adeola (AFENET/RCSDC).