Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) 1 September 2010 -- WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has proposed the establishment of a US$100 million African Public Health Emergency Fund (APHEF) to be financed from agreed appropriations and voluntary contributions from Member States.

The purpose of the proposed Fund is to mobilize, manage and disburse additional resources from countries for strengthening national and regional capacities and systems to identify, verify, notify and respond rapidly and effectively to epidemic and pandemic-prone diseases. It will also address the health impact of natural and man-made disasters, humanitarian cri-ses, and other under-funded public health emergencies of national and international concern.

The African Development Bank (ADB) would be appointed as the fiscal agent for the Fund while a Revolving Fund with a limit of US$20 million will be set up at the WHO Regional Office. Replenishments will be made to the Revolving Fund by ADB based on agreed criteria and procedures.

Dr Sambo’s proposal is contained in a report he tabled on Wednesday before the 60th ses-sion of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa currently taking place in Malabo, Equato-rial Guinea.

The core structures for the Fund would be a Rotational Advisory Committee and a Techni-cal Review Group. The Rotational Advisory Committee, composed of the Regional Director, three ministers of health (one from each sub-regional grouping), and one representative of ADB would give the necessary advice and take decisions regarding the strategic direction of the Fund.

The Technical Review Group, comprising WHO experts in epidemic and pandemic-prone diseases, emergencies and cross-cutting issues such as health systems and health promotion, would review proposals and requests based on technical criteria and provide funding recommendations for approval by the Regional Director. A lean APHEH Secretariat, set up by the Regional Director and based in the Regional Office, would manage the Fund.

To ensure accountability, the Fund would use the existing WHO internal administrative sys-tems (mechanisms, rules and regulations) and financial management systems to receive, disburse, account for, audit and report on the utilization of funds. A yearly technical and certi-fied financial report on the operations of the Fund would be presented to every meeting of the Regional Committee.

The idea to establish APHEF was first mooted by the 59th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa which took place in 2009 in Kigali, Rwanda. The session had requested Dr Sambo to facilitate the creation of APHEF to support the investigation of, and response to, epidemics and other public health emergencies.

WHO estimates that the yearly cost of responding to at least the three most important disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies in the Region is over US$500 million.

It is expected that the establishment of APHEF which will be run as a regional intergovernmental initiative dedicated to mobilizing additional resources for preparedness and response to outbreaks of diseases and other public health emergencies  will make a significant and sustainable contribution to mitigating the socioeconomic impact of epidemic and pandemic-prone diseases in countries in need and contributing to poverty reduction as part of the Millennium Development Goals.

El Dr. Sambo Propone el Establecimiento de un Fondo Africana para Emergencias de Salud Pública

For more information, please contact:

Technical contact

Dr Jean-Baptiste Roungou, WHO/AFRO, Brazzaville; Tel. + 47 241 39154; E-mail: roungouj [at] afro.who.int

Media contact

Samuel T. Ajibola, WHO/AFRO, Brazzaville; Tel: (+242) 7700202; + 41 241 39378; E-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int