The AFROSCREEN project for genomic surveillance of emerging pathogens in Africa gets a new boost thanks to additional funding
The AFROSCREEN project for genomic surveillance of emerging pathogens in Africa gets a new boost thanks to additional funding
Paris, March 24, 2025
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic, which was a turning point in international awareness of the benefits of genomic surveillance to identify circulating sources and better adjust public health measures. In this context, the AFROSCREEN project, a response program against Covid-19 conducted in 13 African countries, plays a key role in the prevention and management of health crises. Its main objective is to strengthen the capacity of certain African countries to anticipate and manage epidemic threats, thanks to genomic sequencing of emerging and re-emerging viruses. This ambitious project, financed by Agence Française de Développement (AFD), took a further step forward on March 24, 2025, the granting of additional funding by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE).
Within the framework of the MEAE’s Fonds Équipe France (FEF), the project is coordinated by a consortium of three French institutions led by ANRS MIE, an autonomous agency of INSERM, and comprising the Institut de recherche pour le développement, Institut Pasteur, and institutions in the project’s partner countries, notably the Institut Pasteur de Dakar and the Centre de recherche et de formation en infectiologie de Guinée (CERFIG).
This funding aims to consolidate the achievements of the initial project by guaranteeing the operation of the installed sequencing platforms and reinforcing the skills of national staff. It will also ensure the continuation of investigations into other emerging and re-emerging zoonotic infectious agents with epidemic potential, such as arboviruses and haemorrhagic fever viruses, whose response often requires multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral action. Lastly, this funding will enable us to continue training the staff of our national partners, including universities in partner countries and veterinary laboratories, in line with the “One Health” approach, with a view to consolidating the current AFROSCREEN network and extending it to include other areas of expertise.
These efforts are aligned with strategic initiatives by Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) to establish genomic surveillance networks at national, regional and global levels.
“The Fonds Équipe France (FEF) is a major financial contributor to the improvement and development of public health in Africa. As Director of the Public Health Department at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD), I envision better preparedness and response to pandemics using the One Health strategy through FEF activities.” Dr Abdourahmane Sow, Director of the Public Health Department at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar.
“This opportunity provided by the FEF will enable us to continue building the capacity of our laboratories so that genomic surveillance becomes routine in our countries. It will also enable us to maintain the AFROSCREEN network, which already includes more than 10 countries, to share our experiences and strengthen our expertise. In Guinea in particular, CERFIG will continue its training activities for its laboratory team, but will also be responsible for structuring a training offer tailored to the needs of staff from other Afroscreen partner laboratories, as part of a “One Health” approach. We will also extend genomic surveillance to other priority viruses in Guinea, including Mpox and Lassa, not only in humans but also in wildlife and wastewater”. Dr Abdoulaye Touré, Director of CERFIG.
AFROSCREEN: an effective network for genomic surveillance during epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa
Since its inception in 2021, the AFROSCREEN project has strengthened genomic sequencing in 13 African countries, enabling laboratories to carry out sequencing and share their findings with the global scientific community. To date :
- Over 9,000 samples of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been sequenced.
- The number of sequences deposited on the GISAID open-access public database by AFROSCREEN-supported laboratories increased more than eightfold between the start and end of the project, going from 1,433 in July 2021 to 12,390 in August 2024.
These initiatives have led to the detection of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 and other epidemic viruses (such as dengue, mpox, lassa) and a better understanding of their modes of transmission. This work contributed to health alerts, notably the declaration of the mpox epidemic as a public health emergency of continental sc ope by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and of international scope by the WHO in August 2024.
By equipping laboratories with cutting-edge tools and training over 250 professionals, the project has improved regional genomic capacity, helping AFROSCREEN partner countries to become more self-sufficient and effective in managing the epidemics they face.
Thanks to these achievements, AFROSCREEN has positioned African laboratories as key players in the global fight against emerging health threats.
The “One Health” approach at the heart of AFROSCREEN’s actions
The “One Health” approach connects human, animal and environmental health to better prevent and understand epidemics. In practice, this approach translates into several concrete actions:
- Intersectoral collaboration: To strengthen collaboration between the human, animal and environmental health sectors in line with the “One Health” approach, it is first necessary to identify key players in complementary disciplines (medicine, virology, veterinary science, ecology, etc.). Secondly, national workshops and regular webinars will bring together human and veterinary health laboratories, facilitating the sharing of data, expertise and best practices.
- Assessment and training: National partners will identify the needs of laboratories and organize specific training courses in genomic sequencing, integrating the “One Health” approach. These training courses may, for example, include the analysis of non-human samples from wildlife and domestic animals, or environmental samples such as wastewater samples.
- Operational support: In line with AFD’s initial funding of AFROSCREEN, logistical and technical support for sequencing platforms and mixed field investigations is provided as required. This includes the provision of laboratory inputs to detect and characterize a wide range of pathogens, and support for missions to collect human, animal or environmental samples.
These activities are helping to build a sustainable network of laboratories, capable of responding effectively and collectively to emerging epidemics, thereby reinforcing health safety on a national, regional and global scale.
For further information, please contact
Press contacts :
ANRS: presse@anrs.fr
IRD
Institut Pasteur: presse@pasteur.fr
Institut Pasteur de Dakar: Marie Vianey AFANGBEDJI, Senior Communication Manager – IPD Tel: +221 77 835 46 43 Mail:MarieVianey.AFANGBEDJI@pasteur.sn ; communications-ipd@pasteur.sn
About ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases :
ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases is an autonomous agency of Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale). Its mission is to facilitate, evaluate, coordinate and fund research into HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
About CERFIG :
CERFIG is a Guinean public scientific institution under the auspices of Gamal Abdel Nasser University in Conakry, contributing to the understanding, diagnosis, prevention and management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The CERFIG conducts leading-edge research, supports the response to epidemics and participates in capacity building for healthcare professionals and stakeholders, particularly in public health, microbiology, immunology, One Health, clinical research, pharmacovigilance and pharmaco-epidemiology. Since 2022, the CERFIG has hosted the international global health research platform (PRISME Guinée), bringing together ANRS, INSERM, IRD, the Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry and the ministries in charge of health and research. For more information on CERFIG, please visit https://www.cerfig.org/ and social networks (Linkedln, Facebook, X).
About Institut Pasteur
Created by decree in 1887 on the initiative of Louis Pasteur, Institut Pasteur is a world-renowned biomedical research center. To carry out its mission of fighting disease, in France and worldwide, Institut Pasteur is developing its activities in four areas: research, public health, training and the development of research applications. A recognized world leader in infectious diseases, microbiology and immunology, Institut Pasteur is dedicated to the study of the biology of living organisms. Its work focuses on emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, certain cancers, neurodegenerative diseases and brain connectivity pathologies. To reinforce the excellence of its research, Institut Pasteur has and is developing a very high-level technological environment, such as nano-imaging or computational biology and artificial intelligence. Since its creation, 10 researchers working at Institut Pasteur have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine, the most recent in 2008 in recognition of their 1983 discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) responsible for AIDS.
Institut Pasteur is a member of Pasteur Network, a global network of more than 30 members on five continents, united by shared Pasteurian values, contributing to the improvement of human health.
Since July 1, 2021, Institut Pasteur has been a partner research organization of Université Paris Cité.
About Institut Pasteur de Dakar :
Institut Pasteur de Dakar works to accelerate equitable, sustainable and affordable access to healthcare in Africa. As a Senegalese non-profit foundation recognized as a public utility, IPD provides communities with healthcare solutions and laboratory services, conducts cutting-edge biomedical research and innovation, produces essential vaccines and diagnostics for African populations, develops human capital and carries out public health activities such as epidemic intelligence, epidemic response and surveillance. IPD is the only WHO-prequalified vaccine manufacturer in Africa. To find out more about Institut Pasteur de Dakar, visit www.InstitutPasteurDakar.sn and follow us on social networks @PasteurDakar.
About IRD
As a French institute for international scientific research, the IRD contributes to strengthening the resilience of societies in the face of global upheaval. It is present in over 50 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific, as well as in France and its overseas territories. Its research activities provide concrete answers to priority needs: mitigating and adapting to climate change, combating poverty and inequality, preserving biodiversity, providing access to healthcare, and taking social dynamics into account.
Research questions are developed in close collaboration with local players and populations. Through long-term partnerships, our teams bring together different viewpoints, disciplines and knowledge to build robust, high-impact solutions. IRD promotes research that benefits the greatest number of people. It shares the results of its projects and puts science at the service of action. In this way, it supports the transformation of societies towards fairer, more sustainable social, economic and ecological models. www.ird.fr/
Paris, March 24, 2025
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic, which was a turning point in international awareness of the benefits of genomic surveillance to identify circulating sources and better adjust public health measures. In this context, the AFROSCREEN project, a response program against Covid-19 conducted in 13 African countries, plays a key role in the prevention and management of health crises. Its main objective is to strengthen the capacity of certain African countries to anticipate and manage epidemic threats, thanks to genomic sequencing of emerging and re-emerging viruses. This ambitious project, financed by Agence Française de Développement (AFD), took a further step forward on March 24, 2025, the granting of additional funding by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE).
Within the framework of the MEAE’s Fonds Équipe France (FEF), the project is coordinated by a consortium of three French institutions led by ANRS MIE, an autonomous agency of INSERM, and comprising the Institut de recherche pour le développement, Institut Pasteur, and institutions in the project’s partner countries, notably the Institut Pasteur de Dakar and the Centre de recherche et de formation en infectiologie de Guinée (CERFIG).
This funding aims to consolidate the achievements of the initial project by guaranteeing the operation of the installed sequencing platforms and reinforcing the skills of national staff. It will also ensure the continuation of investigations into other emerging and re-emerging zoonotic infectious agents with epidemic potential, such as arboviruses and haemorrhagic fever viruses, whose response often requires multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral action. Lastly, this funding will enable us to continue training the staff of our national partners, including universities in partner countries and veterinary laboratories, in line with the “One Health” approach, with a view to consolidating the current AFROSCREEN network and extending it to include other areas of expertise.
These efforts are aligned with strategic initiatives by Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) to establish genomic surveillance networks at national, regional and global levels.
“The Fonds Équipe France (FEF) is a major financial contributor to the improvement and development of public health in Africa. As Director of the Public Health Department at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD), I envision better preparedness and response to pandemics using the One Health strategy through FEF activities.” Dr Abdourahmane Sow, Director of the Public Health Department at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar.
“This opportunity provided by the FEF will enable us to continue building the capacity of our laboratories so that genomic surveillance becomes routine in our countries. It will also enable us to maintain the AFROSCREEN network, which already includes more than 10 countries, to share our experiences and strengthen our expertise. In Guinea in particular, CERFIG will continue its training activities for its laboratory team, but will also be responsible for structuring a training offer tailored to the needs of staff from other Afroscreen partner laboratories, as part of a “One Health” approach. We will also extend genomic surveillance to other priority viruses in Guinea, including Mpox and Lassa, not only in humans but also in wildlife and wastewater”. Dr Abdoulaye Touré, Director of CERFIG.
AFROSCREEN: an effective network for genomic surveillance during epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa
Since its inception in 2021, the AFROSCREEN project has strengthened genomic sequencing in 13 African countries, enabling laboratories to carry out sequencing and share their findings with the global scientific community. To date :
- Over 9,000 samples of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been sequenced.
- The number of sequences deposited on the GISAID open-access public database by AFROSCREEN-supported laboratories increased more than eightfold between the start and end of the project, going from 1,433 in July 2021 to 12,390 in August 2024.
These initiatives have led to the detection of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 and other epidemic viruses (such as dengue, mpox, lassa) and a better understanding of their modes of transmission. This work contributed to health alerts, notably the declaration of the mpox epidemic as a public health emergency of continental sc ope by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and of international scope by the WHO in August 2024.
By equipping laboratories with cutting-edge tools and training over 250 professionals, the project has improved regional genomic capacity, helping AFROSCREEN partner countries to become more self-sufficient and effective in managing the epidemics they face.
Thanks to these achievements, AFROSCREEN has positioned African laboratories as key players in the global fight against emerging health threats.
The “One Health” approach at the heart of AFROSCREEN’s actions
The “One Health” approach connects human, animal and environmental health to better prevent and understand epidemics. In practice, this approach translates into several concrete actions:
- Intersectoral collaboration: To strengthen collaboration between the human, animal and environmental health sectors in line with the “One Health” approach, it is first necessary to identify key players in complementary disciplines (medicine, virology, veterinary science, ecology, etc.). Secondly, national workshops and regular webinars will bring together human and veterinary health laboratories, facilitating the sharing of data, expertise and best practices.
- Assessment and training: National partners will identify the needs of laboratories and organize specific training courses in genomic sequencing, integrating the “One Health” approach. These training courses may, for example, include the analysis of non-human samples from wildlife and domestic animals, or environmental samples such as wastewater samples.
- Operational support: In line with AFD’s initial funding of AFROSCREEN, logistical and technical support for sequencing platforms and mixed field investigations is provided as required. This includes the provision of laboratory inputs to detect and characterize a wide range of pathogens, and support for missions to collect human, animal or environmental samples.
These activities are helping to build a sustainable network of laboratories, capable of responding effectively and collectively to emerging epidemics, thereby reinforcing health safety on a national, regional and global scale.
For further information, please contact
Press contacts :
ANRS: presse@anrs.fr
IRD
Institut Pasteur: presse@pasteur.fr
Institut Pasteur de Dakar: Marie Vianey AFANGBEDJI, Senior Communication Manager – IPD Tel: +221 77 835 46 43 Mail:MarieVianey.AFANGBEDJI@pasteur.sn ; communications-ipd@pasteur.sn
About ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases :
ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases is an autonomous agency of Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale). Its mission is to facilitate, evaluate, coordinate and fund research into HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
About CERFIG :
CERFIG is a Guinean public scientific institution under the auspices of Gamal Abdel Nasser University in Conakry, contributing to the understanding, diagnosis, prevention and management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The CERFIG conducts leading-edge research, supports the response to epidemics and participates in capacity building for healthcare professionals and stakeholders, particularly in public health, microbiology, immunology, One Health, clinical research, pharmacovigilance and pharmaco-epidemiology. Since 2022, the CERFIG has hosted the international global health research platform (PRISME Guinée), bringing together ANRS, INSERM, IRD, the Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry and the ministries in charge of health and research. For more information on CERFIG, please visit https://www.cerfig.org/ and social networks (Linkedln, Facebook, X).
About Institut Pasteur
Created by decree in 1887 on the initiative of Louis Pasteur, Institut Pasteur is a world-renowned biomedical research center. To carry out its mission of fighting disease, in France and worldwide, Institut Pasteur is developing its activities in four areas: research, public health, training and the development of research applications. A recognized world leader in infectious diseases, microbiology and immunology, Institut Pasteur is dedicated to the study of the biology of living organisms. Its work focuses on emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, certain cancers, neurodegenerative diseases and brain connectivity pathologies. To reinforce the excellence of its research, Institut Pasteur has and is developing a very high-level technological environment, such as nano-imaging or computational biology and artificial intelligence. Since its creation, 10 researchers working at Institut Pasteur have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine, the most recent in 2008 in recognition of their 1983 discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) responsible for AIDS.
Institut Pasteur is a member of Pasteur Network, a global network of more than 30 members on five continents, united by shared Pasteurian values, contributing to the improvement of human health.
Since July 1, 2021, Institut Pasteur has been a partner research organization of Université Paris Cité.
About Institut Pasteur de Dakar :
Institut Pasteur de Dakar works to accelerate equitable, sustainable and affordable access to healthcare in Africa. As a Senegalese non-profit foundation recognized as a public utility, IPD provides communities with healthcare solutions and laboratory services, conducts cutting-edge biomedical research and innovation, produces essential vaccines and diagnostics for African populations, develops human capital and carries out public health activities such as epidemic intelligence, epidemic response and surveillance. IPD is the only WHO-prequalified vaccine manufacturer in Africa. To find out more about Institut Pasteur de Dakar, visit www.InstitutPasteurDakar.sn and follow us on social networks @PasteurDakar.
About IRD
As a French institute for international scientific research, the IRD contributes to strengthening the resilience of societies in the face of global upheaval. It is present in over 50 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific, as well as in France and its overseas territories. Its research activities provide concrete answers to priority needs: mitigating and adapting to climate change, combating poverty and inequality, preserving biodiversity, providing access to healthcare, and taking social dynamics into account.
Research questions are developed in close collaboration with local players and populations. Through long-term partnerships, our teams bring together different viewpoints, disciplines and knowledge to build robust, high-impact solutions. IRD promotes research that benefits the greatest number of people. It shares the results of its projects and puts science at the service of action. In this way, it supports the transformation of societies towards fairer, more sustainable social, economic and ecological models. www.ird.fr/