Africa CDC Launches Continental Genomics Advisory Group to Drive Precision Public Health

The launch of ASAG reflects the growing importance of genomics in modern healthcare and public health systems worldwide.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has launched a landmark continental advisory body aimed at accelerating Africa's genomic science capabilities and strengthening the continent's long-term health security, marking a major step toward positioning genomics at the centre of Africa's public health transformation.

The newly established African Strategic Advisory Group on Genomics (ASAG) will serve as an independent, multidisciplinary and continent-wide advisory mechanism tasked with guiding the ethical, strategic and equitable implementation of genomics across Africa.

Africa CDC described the initiative as a pivotal milestone in its broader vision of democratizing access to genomics and ensuring that African countries are better equipped to manage disease outbreaks, strengthen health systems and develop locally driven medical innovations.

Genomics Emerging as Critical Tool for Africa's Health Security

The launch of ASAG reflects the growing importance of genomics in modern healthcare and public health systems worldwide.

Genomics — the study and analysis of genetic material — has become increasingly critical for:

• Disease surveillance

• Outbreak detection

• Precision public health

• Vaccine and therapeutics development

• Antimicrobial resistance monitoring

• Precision medicine

• Epidemic preparedness

Africa CDC said the advisory group will support the continent's efforts to ensure genomics is deployed:

• Ethically

• Responsibly

• Transparently

• Equitably

with African leadership and ownership placed at the centre of all continental genomics initiatives.

Africa Expanding Genomic Surveillance Capacity

Over recent years, Africa has significantly expanded its genomic capabilities through initiatives such as the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative, which strengthened:

• Sequencing infrastructure

• Laboratory systems

• Bioinformatics capabilities

• Data management systems

These investments have already played an important role in monitoring and characterising major public health threats including:

• Mpox

• Cholera

• Malaria

• Antimicrobial resistance

• Other epidemic-prone diseases

Africa CDC said the new advisory mechanism will help consolidate these gains while supporting broader applications of both pathogen and human genomics across the continent.

Precision Public Health and Non-Communicable Diseases Gain Focus

Beyond infectious diseases, ASAG is also expected to guide the application of genomics to tackle Africa's growing burden of:

• Cancer

• Cardiovascular disease

• Diabetes

• Genetic disorders

• Other non-communicable diseases (NCDs)

Health experts increasingly view genomics as central to the future of precision public health, an emerging approach that uses genetic, environmental and population-level data to design more targeted and effective health interventions.

Africa CDC said the initiative could significantly improve the continent's ability to deliver more personalised, data-driven and preventive healthcare systems.

ASAG Linked to Africa CDC's Health Sovereignty Agenda

The new advisory group aligns closely with Africa CDC's broader agenda of:

• African health security

• Health sovereignty

• Local manufacturing capacity

• Sustainable health financing

• Digital health transformation

• Continental preparedness systems

Officials say the COVID-19 pandemic exposed Africa's heavy dependence on external health systems, vaccines, diagnostics and medical technologies, accelerating calls for greater continental self-reliance.

ASAG is expected to help shape long-term African strategies in:

• Genomic governance

• Technology transfer

• Local scientific innovation

• Intellectual property frameworks

• Data sovereignty

• Ethical standards

Expert Advisory Group to Guide Strategic Genomics Governance

According to Africa CDC, ASAG will provide recommendations on a broad range of strategic issues including:

• Harmonised genomics standards

• Capacity building

• Bioinformatics development

• Data governance

• Privacy protections

• Intellectual property

• Ethical frameworks

• International partnerships

The advisory group will support efforts to strengthen genomics as a cornerstone of Africa's future health systems and public health resilience.

Eight Leading African and Global Experts Appointed

The inaugural ASAG consists of eight renowned experts drawn from across Africa and the international scientific community, representing expertise in:

• Pathogen genomics

• Human genomics

• Clinical genetics

• Bioinformatics

• Precision medicine

• Public health

• Data governance

• Ethics

The members are:

• Prof. Christian Happi

• Prof. Ambroise Wonkam

• Prof. Leon Mutesa

• Prof. Tulio de Oliveira

• Prof. Ghada El-Kamah

• Prof. Nicky Mulder

• Prof. Charles Rotimi

• Dr. Yosr Hamdi

The appointments reflect Africa CDC's intention to build a highly credible, science-driven and Africa-centred advisory structure.

Leadership Elected at Inaugural Meeting

During its inaugural meeting, ASAG members elected:

• Prof. Christian Happi as Chair

• Prof. Ghada El-Kamah as Co-Chair

Their leadership is expected to guide the group's efforts in providing independent, evidence-based recommendations to Africa CDC while strengthening collaboration across:

• African Union Member States

• Research institutions

• Public health agencies

• Universities

• Development partners

Scientific Independence and Transparency Emphasised

Africa CDC stressed that ASAG will operate according to principles of:

• Scientific integrity

• Independence

• Transparency

• Accountability

• Inclusivity

• Equity

Members will serve in their personal capacities and provide non-binding recommendations to support Africa CDC's continental genomics programmes.

The organisation clarified that while ASAG will provide strategic guidance, Africa CDC itself will retain responsibility for:

• Decision-making

• Prioritisation

• Programme implementation

within its official mandate.

Africa Seeking Greater Control Over Health Data and Innovation

The creation of ASAG also reflects increasing recognition of the importance of African control over:

• Genomic data

• Health research priorities

• Intellectual property

• Scientific infrastructure

• Medical innovation systems

For decades, concerns have been raised regarding unequal access to genomics technologies and the limited participation of African institutions in global genomic research despite the continent's immense genetic diversity.

Experts say stronger African genomics governance could help address:

• Research inequities

• Data exploitation concerns

• Technology access gaps

• Limited local manufacturing capacity

Genomics Seen as Key to Future Outbreak Preparedness

Public health specialists increasingly believe genomics will play a decisive role in future epidemic preparedness and response.

Advanced genomic surveillance systems can help:

• Detect emerging pathogens faster

• Track disease transmission

• Identify dangerous mutations

• Inform vaccine development

• Improve outbreak containment strategies

Africa CDC says ASAG will support the development of coordinated continental systems capable of rapidly responding to future health threats.

Africa Positioning Itself as Global Scientific Partner

The launch of ASAG also signals Africa's growing ambition to become an active contributor to global scientific innovation rather than solely a recipient of external technologies and expertise.

Officials say the continent's expanding investments in:

• Genomics

• Biotechnology

• Public health infrastructure

• Digital health systems

• Medical research

are gradually positioning Africa as an increasingly important player in global health security and biomedical innovation.

New Advisory Group Seen as Milestone for African Health Transformation

Africa CDC described the establishment of ASAG as a decisive step toward a future where genomics helps:

• Strengthen African health systems

• Improve preparedness for emerging threats

• Advance precision public health

• Expand medical innovation

• Deliver more equitable health outcomes

The initiative is expected to play a major role in shaping the future of genomics policy, research and implementation across Africa in the coming decades.