Prevention and Response to Emerging viruses with Pandemic potential in Africa Epsilon (PREPARE)
The PREPARE Network is an African-led initiative building resilient systems for vaccine research, development, and deployment across the continent. The project seeks to enhance Africa’s capacity to combat emerging and reemerging pathogens by establishing key nodes across South, East, and West Africa focused on clinical disease surveillance, diagnostic and genomic capacity, and vaccine development. This is in recognition of the fact that robust One Health research networks are essential for the early detection, prevention, and control of epidemic-prone vector-borne, zoonotic, and respiratory viruses.
Through this programme, clinical sites in South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Côte d'Ivoire will use both retrospectively-collected samples and expanded prospective syndromic surveillance in humans, animals, and the environment to detect both known and unknown pathogens and to implement multi-pathogen molecular, serological, and rapid diagnostics. Capacity strengthening is a cornerstone of this programme and enhances local capacity to respond effectively during evolving epidemics and pandemics while also fostering sustainable and resilient research networks for epidemic preparedness throughout Africa.
This comprehensive approach facilitates the rapid development of strategies and products aimed at minimizing the impact of emerging pathogens.
