DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 19 -- African countries have been urged to strengthen health sovereignty and regional cooperation to better protect their populations from disease outbreaks and build health systems capable of withstanding future emergencies.

The call was made by Grace Magembe, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, during the fourth Eastern Africa Regional Ministerial Steering Committee (ReSCO) meeting in Dar es Salaam, where health leaders are discussing ways to strengthen the regions preparedness and response to health emergencies.

Dr Magembe explained that disease outbreaks could no longer be treated as isolated national problems because an outbreak in one country could quickly spread across borders and threaten neigh...