By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The Africa Centres for
Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Government of Algeria have
strengthened their strategic partnership to advance Health Technology
Assessment (HTA) and expand collaboration across key areas of Africa's public
health ecosystem.
The discussions took place
in Algiers, where Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya met with
Algeria's Minister of Health, Prof. Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene, alongside
members of the Algerian government and development partners.
A key outcome of the
engagement was the commitment to advance the development of an African
curriculum on Health Technology Assessment, an initiative aimed at
strengthening evidence-based decision-making in healthcare across the
continent.
The meeting also explored
plans to position Algeria as a continental centre of excellence for Health
Technology Assessment, supporting African countries in evaluating the
effectiveness, value and impact of health technologies.
Beyond HTA, the discussions
focused on expanding cooperation in local pharmaceutical and vaccine
manufacturing, pooled procurement mechanisms, regulatory systems, genomics,
digital health and health research.
The partners underscored the
importance of strengthening African-led health systems through increased
collaboration, knowledge sharing and investment in local capacity to improve
access to essential medicines, vaccines and healthcare technologies.
Africa CDC said the
partnership reflects broader efforts by the African Union and its member states
to develop sustainable, homegrown health solutions capable of improving health
security and strengthening the continent's preparedness for future public health
challenges.
