The Africa Centre  for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), through its Western Regional Coordinating Centre, has organised a risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) capacity strengthening workshop on public health emergencies.

The event, which is being held in Accra, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, seeks to strengthen regional health systems through coordinated communication, deeper community engagement and effective social interaction.

Strengthening RCCE systems would also boost regional health security by ensuring that outbreak responses are not only science-driven but also community-centered. 

By equipping health officers, community mobilisers and technical advisors with practical tools, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between evidence and action, ultimately reinforcing public trust in health systems and improving resilience in the face of epidemics.

The five-day event is in attendance participants from Mali, Nigeria, Guinea Bissau, Benin, Senegal, Liberia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Togo, Zambia, as well as representatives of the ECOWAS RCCE Network and the Ghana Health Service.

Dr Elphas Ojiambo, Partnership Officer at Africa CDC’s Western Regional Coordinating Centre, said no country could overcome health threats in isolation.

“West Africa has a population of more than 400 million people, with Nigeria alone accounting for a significant portion. If we get it right in Nigeria, we get it right in West Africa, and by extension the continent.

“But no single country can overcome these challenges alone. We must hold hands, coordinate and communicate if we are to emerge victorious,” he said.

Dr Ojiambo added that Africa CDC’s mandate in West Africa covered all ECOWAS countries, regardless of political differences.

“Any weakness in one country risks undermining progress made elsewhere," he said.

Resilience

The Chairperson of Health Promotion, Community Engagement and Social and Behaviour Change Community of Practice for Africa, Mabel Kissiwah Asafo, described the workshop as a pivotal moment for strengthening Africa’s resilience.

“In the face of threats like Mpox, our greatest asset is our collective response. This workshop is not just a convening of minds; it is a launchpad for scaling best practices, sharpening technical skills, and reinforcing our ability to translate science into trust,” she said.

Ms Asafo, who is also the acting Director of Health Promotion Division, Ghana Health Service, underscored the importance of social interaction, not just as a tool for hearing, but for deeply understanding fears, beliefs and behaviours.

“Our decisions must be anchored on data, informed by behavioural science and responsive to lived realities,” she added.

Engagement

The Technical Officer for First Planning at Africa CDC WA RCC, Dr Adunola Oyegoke, highlighted the importance of community data in outbreak response.

She said risk communication had been flagged in many Joint External Evaluations (JEE) as needing urgent strengthening, and therefore called for robust systems for social data collection, feedback and community engagement.

As part of the programme, participants will share experiences on RCCE approaches, explore innovations such as rumour management and digital listening tools, and strengthen collaboration between Africa CDC, ECOWAS and member states.

The workshop is expected to reinforce Africa CDC’s goal of promoting evidence-based, community-centered approaches to health security in the region.