The Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) has joined experts and partners in discussions aimed at advancing the establishment of an Africa-wide Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance (WES) platform to strengthen disease detection and public health preparedness across the continent.
The discussions seek to bring together countries, health institutions, laboratories, researchers and development partners around a common approach to collecting, analysing and using information from wastewater and other environmental samples to identify health threats before they develop into widespread outbreaks.
RBC Director General Prof. Claude Mambo Muvunyi said wastewater surveillance offers an important opportunity to detect signs of diseases circulating in communities even before many affected people seek medical attention.
“By testing wastewater, we can see signs of diseases and other health threats circulating in communities before many people feel sick or seek care. This provides early warning and supports a One Health approach that connects human, animal and environmental health,” Prof. Muvunyi said.
Wastewater and environmental surveillance involves testing sewage and other environmental samples for traces of pathogens and other biological signals.
The approach complements traditional disease surveillance systems by providing population-level information that can help reveal emerging health threats at an early stage.
The discussions are expected to contribute to the development of stronger collaboration among African countries, harmonise surveillance approaches and strengthen the capacity of laboratories and public health institutions to collect, analyse and use wastewater data.
Participants are also expected to explore ways of improving data sharing, strengthening technical and laboratory capacity, and integrating wastewater surveillance into existing national and regional disease surveillance systems.
The establishment of a continental WES platform would provide African countries with an additional tool for monitoring the circulation of infectious diseases and identifying emerging pathogens.
Such a system could prove particularly valuable during outbreaks, as wastewater surveillance can provide early indications of disease activity within communities without relying solely on individuals presenting at health facilities.
For Rwanda, the discussions build on experience in using wastewater surveillance as part of public health monitoring, including efforts to detect and track emerging infectious disease threats.
The initiative is ultimately expected to strengthen Africa’s ability to anticipate, detect and respond to epidemics and pandemics.
By turning wastewater data into actionable public health intelligence, countries could receive earlier warnings, coordinate responses more effectively and take preventive measures before outbreaks grow into larger public health emergencies.
