APORA Symposium 2023 - solidarity in preventing and responding to infectious diseases

The annual African Partner Outbreak Response Alliance (APORA) symposium took place in Lusaka, Zambia, from May 8 to 12, with medical personnel from the Zambian Defence Force and United States Air Forces Europe - Air Forces Africa as hosts. The 13th iteration of APORA, facilitated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), focused on the development of Rapid Response Team (RRT) Rosters. These rosters enable countries or groups of nations to form self-sustained teams capable of immediately deploying to support outbreak responses in partner nations. The symposium included workshops conducted by the CDC, allowing APORA members to design RRT rosters, create standard operating procedures, and implement change management strategies in their respective countries.
APORA has seen significant growth since its inception, with membership expanding from 12 to 32 contributing nations. The symposium welcomed new members, including Botswana, Burundi, Malawi, Republic of Congo, and Zambia. The increasing membership demonstrates the recognition of APORA's valuable work and the culture of cooperation it fosters. The symposium emphasized the importance of mutual trust and cooperation, equipping partner nations to effectively respond to future challenges.