Strengthening COVID-19 pandemic response coordination through public health emergency operations centres (PHEOC) in Africa: Review of a multi-faceted knowledge management and sharing approach, 2020-2021.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted health security program implementation and incremental gains achieved after the West African Ebola outbreak in 2016 across Africa. Following cancellation of in-person events, a multi-faceted intervention program was established in May 2020 by Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the World Health Organisation, and partners to strengthen national COVID-19 response coordination through public health emergency operations centres (PHEOC) utilizing continuous learning, mentorship, and networking. We present the lessons learned and reflection points.

Public health emergency operations centres in Africa: a cross-sectional study assessing the implementation status of core components and areas for improvement, December 2021.

Objective: To assess implementation status of public health emergency operations centres (PHEOCs) in all countries in Africa.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Fifty-four national PHEOC focal points in Africa responded to an online survey between May and November 2021.

[Crisis management at the Robert Koch Institute during the COVID-19 pandemic and the exchange between federal and state governments].

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) plays a central role in Germany in the management of health hazards of biological origin. The RKI's crisis management aims to contribute to protecting the health of the population in Germany in significant epidemic situations and to maintain the RKI's working ability over a long period of time even under high load. This article illustrates the crisis management of the RKI in general as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How could an African swine fever outbreak evolve in an enzootic context? The case of Imerintsiatosika, Madagascar in 2015.

African swine fever (ASF) is a haemorrhagic contagious pig disease generally causing high mortality. ASF is enzootic in Madagascar with outbreaks reported each year. An ASF outbreak occurred in May 2015 in the municipality of Imerintsiatosika in Madagascar.

Evaluation of the reinforced integrated disease surveillance and response strategy using short message service data transmission in two southern regions of Madagascar, 2014-15.

Background: The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy was introduced in Madagascar in 2007. Information was collected by Healthcare structures (HS) on paper forms and transferred to the central level by post or email. Completeness of data reporting was around 20% in 2009-10.

Four years into the Indian ocean field epidemiology training programme.

Introduction: Following the 2005-6 chikungunya outbreak, a project to strengthen regional Public Health preparedness in the Indian Ocean was implemented. It includes the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion (France) and Seychelles. A Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP-OI) was started in 2011 to develop a pool of well-trained intervention epidemiologists.

Evaluation of the influenza sentinel surveillance system in Madagascar, 2009-2014.

Problem: Evaluation of influenza surveillance systems is poor, especially in Africa.

Approach: In 2007, the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar and the Malagasy Ministry of Public Health implemented a countrywide system for the prospective syndromic and virological surveillance of influenza-like illnesses. In assessing this system's performance, we identified gaps and ways to promote the best use of resources.

Using oral polio vaccine beyond the cold chain: a feasibility study conducted during the national immunization campaign in Mali.

We conducted the first systematic documentation of using oral polio vaccine (OPV) out of the cold chain during national immunization day (NID) campaigns in Mali. Using a crossover intervention design, vaccinators compared the transport of OPV in vaccine carriers with or without ice packs. Vaccine integrity was assured through monitoring vaccine vial monitor (VVM) status.