EPIDEMIOLOGY AND HEALTH DATA INSIGHTS
Review Article
Sep 02, 2025 162 39

Strengthening Preparedness for Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Recent Outbreaks

Vivian Ukamaka Nwokedi 1 * ,
Idris Olumide Orenolu 2,
⁠Morayo Anne Ajobiewe 3,
⁠Samuel Z Kidane 4,
Temitope Emmanuel Alo 5,
Evelyn Foster-Pagaebi 6,
Yetunde Oluwatoyin Awofolajin 7,
⁠Damilola Timilehin Ogunniran 8
1 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria2 Infection Prevention and Control, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Saskatchewan, Canada3 Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada4 Global Coordination Center, MERQ Consultancy LLC, Baltimore, USA5 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria6 Department of Public-Private Partnership, JSI Research and Training Institute, Bayelsa, Nigeria7 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria 8 Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria* Corresponding Author
Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, 1(3), 2025, ehdi010, https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/16853
Publication date: Sep 02, 2025
Full Text (PDF)

ABSTRACT

One of the major public health emergencies that has affected lives globally is infectious disease outbreaks. These issues are of great concern due to their potential to transcend borders. The control and management of such outbreaks even with the attention channelled towards it globally has been a difficult task in many developing and underdeveloped countries of the world of which the majority of sub-saharan african countries fall under. However, with this review, we aim to contribute to the body of knowledge dedicated towards control of infectious diseases by analyzing the preparedness of Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries in managing infectious disease outbreaks based on lessons from recent outbreaks (with focus on COVID-19, Lassa fever and Ebola outbreaks). In carrying out this narrative review, we make use of PubMed and African Journals Online (AJOL) as the primary literature sources. To ensure we capture publications from reputable organizations that are solely involved in control of infectious diseases in the region, we carried out a grey literature search.
However in this review, we synthesized challenges such as weak healthcare systems, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, inefficient surveillance systems, poor data management and reporting practices, limited laboratory capacity and reliance on external donors for supplies during emergencies.
The review proposes potential interventional measures aimed at addressing these challenges aimed at enhancing the preparedness
The findings from this review provide critical insights into the preparedness gaps and potential interventions, informing policy and practice to enhance the region's resilience future outbreaks.

KEYWORDS

Infectious Disease Outbreaks Sub-Saharan Africa Public Health Healthcare Systems Laboratory Capacity Community Engagement Surveillance Systems Data Management Supply Chain Management

CITATION (Vancouver)

Nwokedi VU, Orenolu IO, Ajobiewe ⁠A, Kidane ⁠Z, Alo TE, Foster-Pagaebi E, et al. Strengthening Preparedness for Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Recent Outbreaks. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights. 2025;1(3):ehdi010. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/16853
APA
Nwokedi, V. U., Orenolu, I. O., Ajobiewe, ⁠. A., Kidane, ⁠. Z., Alo, T. E., Foster-Pagaebi, E., Awofolajin, Y. O., & Ogunniran, ⁠. T. (2025). Strengthening Preparedness for Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Recent Outbreaks. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, 1(3), ehdi010. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/16853
Harvard
Nwokedi, V. U., Orenolu, I. O., Ajobiewe, ⁠. A., Kidane, ⁠. Z., Alo, T. E., Foster-Pagaebi, E., . . . Ogunniran, ⁠. T. (2025). Strengthening Preparedness for Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Recent Outbreaks. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, 1(3), ehdi010. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/16853
AMA
Nwokedi VU, Orenolu IO, Ajobiewe ⁠A, et al. Strengthening Preparedness for Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Recent Outbreaks. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights. 2025;1(3), ehdi010. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/16853
Chicago
Nwokedi, Vivian Ukamaka, Idris Olumide Orenolu, ⁠Morayo Anne Ajobiewe, ⁠Samuel Z Kidane, Temitope Emmanuel Alo, Evelyn Foster-Pagaebi, Yetunde Oluwatoyin Awofolajin, and ⁠Damilola Timilehin Ogunniran. "Strengthening Preparedness for Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Recent Outbreaks". Epidemiology and Health Data Insights 2025 1 no. 3 (2025): ehdi010. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/16853
MLA
Nwokedi, Vivian Ukamaka et al. "Strengthening Preparedness for Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Recent Outbreaks". Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, vol. 1, no. 3, 2025, ehdi010. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/16853

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