The World Bank Board of Directors has approved the third phase of the Health Security Program in Western and Central Africa (HeSP), expanding its reach to Central Africa. The initiative, backed by $280 million in International Development Association (IDA) grants and credits and a $10 million grant from the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF), will support Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of Congo, and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).
The program is designed to improve regional collaboration and strengthen health systems' ability to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies such as epidemics, climate-related health shocks, and zoonotic diseases. It incorporates lessons learned from previous crises like Ebola and COVID-19. The additional GFF funding aims to help Cameroon maintain essential health services for women, children, and adolescents while increasing primary health care resilience.
Ms.Trina Haque, World Bank Regional Director for Human Development for Western and Central Africa said: “The region faces a convergence of challenges, including fragility, displacement, porous borders, and changing weather patterns, that heighten the risk of health emergencies and strain already fragile health systems. HeSP responds to these urgent needs by investing in surveillance, laboratory networks, and frontline health workers, while promoting inclusive and resilient service delivery. It will help countries move from reactive crisis response to proactive preparedness.”
The initiative will also support national and regional contingency planning efforts; enhance laboratory capacity; improve disease surveillance; expand training opportunities for health professionals—including women in epidemiology and veterinary sciences—and finance green infrastructure projects focused on resilience. The program adopts One Health approaches that address human, animal, and environmental factors together.
Marina Wes, Acting World Bank Regional Integration Director for Western and Central Africa stated: “HeSP is more than a health initiative: it’s a regional development engine. By fostering cross-border collaboration and harmonizing health systems, the program will generate positive spillovers in trade, mobility, and social cohesion. It will create thousands of jobs in health, logistics, and infrastructure particularly for youth and women in underserved areas.”
A focus on gender inclusion ensures employment opportunities benefit frontline workers most at risk while reinforcing institutional resilience across participating countries. The HeSP forms part of a broader multi-phase approach totaling $688 million across eight West African nations.
For further information or inquiries about this initiative contacts are available at World Bank offices in Washington D.C., Yaoundé (Cameroon), Bangui (Central African Republic), N'Djamena (Chad), or Brazzaville (Republic of Congo).