PANTHER strengthens Africa’s pandemic preparedness by building research capacity, linking policy and science, and embedding readiness into continental health systems.
The policy challenge:
The African continent has been disproportionately affected by emerging infectious diseases, underscoring the urgent need for robust preparedness and response mechanisms. PANTHER (PANdemic preparedness plaTform for Health and Emerging infections Response) was developed as a pioneering platform to address these challenges. PANTHER’s five-year strategic plan focuses on preparing for and responding to infectious diseases with epidemic and pandemic potential, explicitly aligning its efforts with the public health priorities of African nations with an initial portfolio on mPox, Lassa Fever, Marburg virus and Influenza. The recent declaration of the Public Health Emergency of Continental Concern (PHECS) by the Africa CDC and the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the WHO highlight the critical need for a proactive and coordinated response to health threats.
The strategic approach:
To support PANTHER’s mission, we are leading the design and deployment of a comprehensive policy advocacy strategy that aims to elevate the platform’s impact across its key focus areas: disease-specific preparedness, clinical research integration, and sustained response capacity. Our comprehensivestrategic approach includes policy alignment and advocacy, stakeholder engagement leveraging partnerships with institutions such as ALIMA; capacity strengthening and knowledge exchange and transfer and data and evidence Generation: health.
„We aim to foster a supportive policy environment that amplifies PANTHER’s effectiveness.“
The intelligence:
Our policy advocacy strategy is informed by extensive consultations with a diverse array of stakeholders, including African public health leaders, international research institutions, and community representatives. This collaborative approach ensures that our advocacy efforts are grounded in real-world insights and tailored to the specific needs of the African continent. By aligning our strategy with the unique challenges faced by different regions, we aim to foster a supportive policy environment that amplifies PANTHER’s effectiveness.
The SDGs:
Our work with PANTHER is closely aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 10: reduced Inequality and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. PANTHER’s success is rooted in effective partnerships, and our strategy reinforces these collaborations to achieve shared public health objectives.
