From August 24 to September 9, 2026, the Centre Pasteur of Cameroon is putting its expertise at the service of a large-scale international mission dedicated to strengthening epidemiological surveillance in Africa.

Dr. Marie Claire Endegue Zanga, an expert from the Polio Laboratory of the Pasteur Center in Cameroon, is participating in this mission alongside international experts from different fields of expertise.

Organized by the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Nigerian health authorities and several international partners, this strategic review aims to analyze current surveillance capacities and identify levers to sustainably improve the detection and response to health threats.

The mission focuses in particular on:
• evaluating the performance of poliomyelitis and other vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) surveillance systems;
• identifying technical, organizational, security, and logistical challenges;
• analyzing the impact of innovative approaches deployed in the field;
• making concrete recommendations to strengthen early detection and response to epidemics;
• integrating priority measures into the 2026 operational action plan.

Document reviews, discussions with stakeholders, field visits in several selected states and local areas, and feedback sessions will structure this mission.

Beyond an evaluation, this approach is an opportunity to build on existing experiences, innovations, and expertise to create surveillance systems that are increasingly effective and resilient.

Through the participation of its expert, the Pasteur Center of Cameroon thus reaffirms its commitment alongside national and international partners to help build an Africa better prepared to detect, prevent, and contain epidemics.