By Anna Gawel

GENEVA - The failure to finalize a pandemic treaty at the 77th World Health Assembly this week is an especially big blow to Africa, which bore the brunt of the inequities that materialized during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But Dr. Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, says he remains positive a deal can get done — possibly this year.

“Let us say we made huge progress. We managed to agree on around 75 to 80% of the text,” he told my colleague Rumbi Chakamba at our Devex CheckUp @ WHA 77 event, adding that he agreed with the South African ambassador on a goal of finalizing the agreement by the end of this year.

Although Africa is home to roughly 18% of the world’s population, “we are carrying 23% of the global disease burden,” Kaseya said, noting also that just 3% of the world’s health workforce resides in Africa and that the continent only accounts for 1% of total health expenditure in the world. “This is a major issue.”

It’s one of many issues Africa CDC is taking on as the young agency increases its autonomy and clout across the continent. It’s had growing pains along the way as it detangles itself from the bureaucracy of the African Union, whose umbrella it falls under — including for Kaseya himself.

After a series of whistleblower complaints, Kaseya ordered an audit to look into the accusations, which ranged from misusing funds to playing favorites. The auditors uncovered evidence to disprove some of the allegations, didn’t have full access to examine others, and raised concerns around weak financial controls and irregular hiring practices. Still, Kaseya said he’s establishing an ethics office and hiring an ombudsman to promote a culture of speaking out across the agency.

“We are there to take seriously all allegations, to address them, and to move on,” he added.

Africa also needs self-sufficiency to weather the next inevitable pandemic, which is why Kaseya says local manufacturing is so important.