Geneva, 22 May 2025 – On the margins of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reinforcing their commitment to protect lives and improve health outcomes across the African continent.
The new memorandum builds on an initial agreement signed in August 2021, which enabled both organisations to join forces during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting risk communication community engagement, community health worker scale-up and vaccine rollout across Africa.
The new agreement will enable both organisations to jointly respond more effectively to public health emergencies, strengthen primary healthcare systems, support epidemic and pandemic preparedness, enhance legal preparedness for public health emergencies and scale up community-based health services.
“This renewed partnership between Africa CDC and IFRC is a powerful reminder that resilient health systems are built not only in hospitals, but in homes and communities,” said Africa CDC Deputy Director General Dr Raji Tajudeen. “Together, we are investing in people—our greatest resource—to detect, respond to and recover from health threats across Africa.”
Christopher Rassi, Chief of Staff and Under Secretary General for People and Strategy at IFRC, emphasised the importance of community-based health initiatives in strengthening global health systems.
“Strong health systems start in communities. This agreement reinforces our shared commitment with Africa CDC to put people at the centre of public health — from epidemic preparedness to everyday care,” he said. “Together, we will continue to scale up community-led solutions that save lives, build trust, and make health systems more resilient for the future.”
The new MoU sets out a framework for joint action, including:
- Strengthening coordination in humanitarian response and disease outbreaks.
- Developing joint preparedness and response initiatives, including legal and policy support for public health emergencies.
- Scaling up the community health workforce across more than a dozen countries.
- Supporting integrated disease surveillance and early warning systems.
- Advocating for universal health coverage and stronger, more resilient health systems.
Working together, IFRC and Africa CDC will mobilise technical expertise, resources, and regional networks to support national health authorities and frontline responders. The partnership will also promote the integration of routine and emergency health services, enhance cross-border preparedness, and improve access to essential healthcare in hard-to-reach communities.
The three-year agreement emphasises mutual support for workforce development, public health institutions, and the implementation of the Africa CDC Strategic Plan (2023–2027), aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and global commitments to health equity and sustainable development.
About Africa CDC
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the autonomous continental public health agency of the African Union, mandated to support Member States in strengthening health systems, and enhancing disease surveillance, prevention, and emergency response capabilities. Learn more at: http://102.37.211.11 and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
About IFRC
IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 191 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working to save lives and promote dignity around the world.
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Media contacts:
For Africa CDC: Margaret Edwin, Director of Communication and Public Information, Email: EdwinM@africacdc.org
For IFRC: Scott Craig, Media and Communications Officer, Email: media@ifrc.org
