This week in Africa, Africa CDC is stepping up its drive for health sovereignty, building new partnerships as countries confront fresh epidemic pressures — from cholera in South Sudan to a renewed poliovirus threat in Central Africa.

At the same time, bold health moves are unfolding across the continent. Algeria is preparing to launch its first heart transplants, Uganda is shifting emergency response closer to local communities, and MSF is expanding its footprint in Ethiopia. Yet behind these advances lies a persistent challenge: a critical shortage of health workers that continues to test Africa’s health systems.

Africa CDC pushes health sovereignty agenda

At the 39th African Union summit this week, Africa CDC outlined key priorities to advance Africa’s Health Strategy.

The main goal is health sovereignty. The agency wants Africa to produce more of its own vaccines and medicines to reduce reliance on external suppliers.

On the margins of the 39th AU Assembly, we advanced Africa’s Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) Agenda by strengthening collaboration between Finance and Health leadership.

Stronger alignment today means stronger health security tomorrow.@_AfricanUnion, @NEPAD_Agency,… pic.twitter.com/SiuDD3i4Tz

— Africa CDC (@AfricaCDC) February 14, 2026

This roadmap aims to reshape the continent’s health system into a more coordinated and forward-looking structure. Africa CDC also wants to ensure that Africa is better prepared for future pandemics. Strong cooperation among AU member states remains central to this effort.

On the sidelines of the summit, Africa CDC signed a new partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The agreement seeks to accelerate health innovation across Africa. It focuses on sexual and reproductive health and on empowering women and young people.

The two organizations plan to expand digital and technology-based solutions to improve access to care in remote areas. The objective is to build systems adapted to local realities, modernize health services, and prioritize vulnerable communities.

Health worker shortage: Africa needs 6 million more professionals

Africa CDC has warned that the continent will need 6.1 million additional health professionals by 2030 to meet basic healthcare needs.

The shortage of doctors, nurses, and midwives is considered the main obstacle to universal health coverage. The situation is made worse by the migration of skilled workers to developed countries and by limited training capacity.

Addressing this gap will require greater investment in education and training facilities. The challenge is both to increase the number of health workers and to ensure they are equipped to adapt to technological change.

Without strong commitment from governments and partners to improve working conditions and make health careers more attractive, health development efforts could stall. This is especially concerning as Africa continues to record the fastest population growth globally.

WHO and US tensions over COVID-19 origins

Tensions continue between the United States and the World Health Organization (WHO) following Washington’s withdrawal under the Trump administration.

US health authorities have recently asked the WHO to share information about the origins of COVID-19. The US has referred to evidence of a laboratory leak in Wuhan, but no concrete data has been shared with international experts.

L'OMS demande aux États-Unis de partager leurs informations sur l'origine de la COVID-19 https://t.co/no72EABSF9

— TVA Nouvelles (@tvanouvelles) February 12, 2026

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that understanding how the virus emerged is critical to preventing future pandemics. The situation highlights growing political tensions in global health, where limited information sharing can slow scientific progress.

South Sudan continues fight against cholera

In the Horn of Africa, South Sudan is facing a persistent cholera outbreak. Weak health infrastructure and extreme weather conditions have worsened the situation.

However, a coordinated response is starting to slow the spread of the disease.

Health authorities, with support from international partners, have expanded oral vaccination campaigns and improved access to clean water in high-risk areas.

Although challenges remain, especially due to population displacement, new treatment centers and stronger community awareness are helping reduce the fatality rate.

Many experts say the crisis shows the urgent need for long-term investment in sanitation. Local health teams, often working in very difficult conditions, remain the frontline defense against a larger humanitarian crisis.

Cameroon and Chad step up vaccination after poliovirus detection

After the detection of a type 3 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV3), Cameroon launched a major vaccination campaign targeting more than 3.8 million children. According to Gavi, the campaign achieved a 99% coverage rate.

La campagne est lancée.
Merci à tous les parents, équipes et partenaires.

The campaign is officially underway.
A heartfelt thank you to all the parents, teams, and partners for their commitment and support.#StopPolio237 #zeropolio26 #PEVCAMEROON pic.twitter.com/V6d9ujSiEP

— PEV CAMEROUN (@pevcameroun) February 12, 2026

The virus strain, imported from Guinea, spreads in areas where routine vaccination coverage has declined. For Cameroon, coordinating vaccination efforts with neighboring Chad is essential to protect border regions, especially in Adamawa and the Far North.

Although Cameroon was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2020, the country remains under close surveillance.

Health officials say the goal now is to turn this emergency campaign into lasting immunity by February 2026. Despite logistical challenges, the fight against polio now depends on reaching children in the most remote and vulnerable areas.

Algeria to launch first heart transplants in 2026

Algeria has announced that it will begin performing heart transplants in 2026. Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Aït Messaoudène confirmed that the first procedures will take place this year. This marks a major step for the country’s hospital system.

The project is led by the National Transplant Agency. Its goal is to reduce costly medical transfers abroad. With international technical partnerships, Algeria aims to upgrade its medical equipment and expertise.

So far, the country has performed about 1,600 kidney transplants in 40 years, which remains below national demand.

Beyond the urgent needs of patients waiting for transplants, the initiative is also seen as a long-term investment in medical skills and advanced healthcare in North Africa.

Uganda strengthens emergency response at district level

Uganda is reinforcing its emergency response capacity at the district level due to repeated epidemic threats.

With support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the country is training local health workers and equipping rural health centers. The aim is to make each district able to detect and contain a public health emergency before it spreads nationwide.

This effort includes stronger disease surveillance and improved logistics for managing alerts.

Uganda wants to build a stronger health security network by bringing technical expertise closer to communities. This approach is especially important in a country that has previously faced outbreaks of hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola.

MSF expands medical support in southwest Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has launched a new medical project in the southwest region.

The initiative aims to provide a rapid response capacity in an area where isolated communities are highly vulnerable to recurring outbreaks and health emergencies.

MSF also plans to strengthen the local health system’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to epidemics, while improving access to free and quality healthcare.

The organization is focusing on reinforcing local health facilities to treat common but deadly infectious diseases.

We’ve begun a new project in Southwest Ethiopia Region, a region of Ethiopia that is home to 3 million people and has recurrent disease outbreaks.

We aim to strengthen the local health system’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks: https://t.co/q3rZH3f9FU

— MSF International (@MSF) February 13, 2026

According to MSF’s emergency coordinator in Ethiopia, Sayeed Aleem, the project establishes a stable presence in the region to support communities facing repeated health crises and limited access to care. MSF is working with local authorities and health workers to improve epidemic preparedness, infection prevention, and essential health services.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi