MONICA KAYOMBO, Zambia/ Lusaka
MINISTER of Health Elijah Muchima says Zambia has learned valuable lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and has built a fully functional genomic sequencing platform within the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI).
Speaking on Friday at the Conference on Public Health ( CPHIA) side event titled “Operationalization of Genomic Sequencing in Zambia as a Regional Center of Excellence using the Southern Africa Regional Coordinating Center of Africa CDC” , Dr Muchima said: “But we are not here merely to celebrate what was achieved. We are here to build upon it, to institutionalize it so that the next outbreak finds us ready, informed, and united.”
Dr Muchima highlighted Zambia’s progress in genomic sequencing, saying the country has detected and tracked variants in real-time, protecting citizens and contributing vital intelligence to the region and the world.
“Through genomic sequencing, Zambia detected and tracked variants in real-time protecting our citizens and contributing vital intelligence to our region and the world,” he said.
The Minister noted that Zambia’s strategic location, bordered by eight nations, makes it a natural hub for regional collaboration and cross-border surveillance. ZNPHI’s genomic scientists and bioinformaticians are already sequencing and sharing data on global platforms, training colleagues from across the region.
“Zambia stands at the heart of the Southern Africa region, bordered by eight nations making it a natural hub for regional collaboration and cross-border surveillance. Zambia has invested in people building capacity in bioinformatics, data governance, and field epidemiology. We are now integrating genomic data into our DHIS2 and surveillance systems, transforming data into decisions that save lives. These are not aspirations, they are achievements in motion,” he said.
Dr Muchima acknowledged the support of partners, including the Africa CDC, PATH, and the World Health Organisation (WHO), in strengthening laboratory systems and human capital.
“Zambia’s progress on Genomic sequencing has been made possible through steadfast partnerships of the Africa CDC, PATH that has helped in strengthening laboratory systems and human capital and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for ensuring alignment with global standards and ethics,” he said.
Dr Muchima emphasized the importance of regional collaboration, saying: “We envision a networked Africa, where data should flow faster than disease, where collaboration transcends borders, and where our collective intelligence safeguards every African life.”
Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya praised Zambia for developing a national multi-pathogen genomic sequencing platform, saying it is a center of excellence.
“We came to support the country to get equipment, reagents, but also to build capacity for them to use that. Share what we are doing,” Dr. Kaseya said.
He highlighted the importance of a strong lab network, saying: “Without a strong lab network, well-connected system supported by ZNPHI, it would have not been possible for Zambia to become a centre of excellence.”
He added that the Africa CDC aims to reach at least 50 countries by 2026 and support the remaining countries in 2027.
“Our objective is by 2026 to reach at least 50 countries and to see how to deal with the remaining countries in 2027. Then we can see, while we are doing that, we are also doing the decentralized version of the lab network,” Dr. Kaseya said.
Dr Kaseya has also announced Ethiopia as the next host of CPHIA.
This year’s CPHIA was held under the theme “Moving towards self-reliance to achieve Universal Health Coverage and health security in Africa.”
CPHIA was supported by Africa CDC, Bio-Africa Convention, Gavi vaccines, African Union and other partners
