West African Scientists Urge Stronger Disease Outbreak Detection
Experts warn that weakened health systems in the region are vulnerable to future epidemics, drawing lessons from past Ebola and COVID-19 crises.
West African laboratory scientists are calling on governments to bolster their capacity for detecting disease outbreaks, warning that health systems across the region are becoming increasingly vulnerable. The scientists convened in Lome, Togo, this week to assess the region's preparedness and its reliance on external vaccine sources.
They emphasized the need for cross-border cooperation and increased investment in diagnostic capabilities, citing the significant impacts of the Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks over the past decade. The 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic, which primarily affected Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, claimed at least 11,000 lives.
"We need to anticipate these outbreaks," said Kossi Kabo, president of the Association of Medical Biologists of Togo and a co-chair of the congress. "We shouldn’t wait for an epidemic to emerge somewhere before responding. By then, it would be too late."
Scientists expressed concern that a perceived lull in major outbreaks might have led to a decline in the maintenance of health systems, potentially leaving the region unprepared for future epidemics. Arthur Bodurie Calvin Garber, president of the Sierra Leone Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, stressed the importance of investing in personnel alongside infrastructure.