From 23 to 27 March 2026 in Saly, Senegal, I had the honour of serving as one of the facilitators of a regional writeshop dedicated to the development of Early Action Protocols for epidemics.
This important gathering brought together seven Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies — Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, DRC and Senegal — alongside representatives of their respective Ministries of Health.
Beyond the technical exercise, the objective was clear: to strengthen the region’s capacity to anticipate, decide, and act earlier in the face of epidemic risk.
The participation of the Cameroon Red Cross, already engaged in the development of a cholera EAP, together with the support of the Belgian, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Red Cross Societies, added significant value to this regional momentum.
The process also benefited from the contribution of EAP and Health experts from the IFRC, the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, and ACMAD.
What I take away from Saly is clear: anticipatory action for epidemics is no longer a conceptual ambition. It is becoming an operational regional capacity.
Anticipatory Action is not a luxury. It is a strategic and human imperative.