All Member States with Public Health EOCs (PHEOCs) in the WHO African Region are members of the Regional EOC network. In addition, those Member States which do not have PHEOCs participate in the network to learn from others as they endeavour to establish one. Other regional organizations such as WAHO and Africa CDC are also members of the network.

The Network welcomes members from the public and private sectors, civil society, foundations, technical agencies and operational entities.

The Network encourages the active participation of members in its activities. These activities support Member States in developing the four core components of a PHEOC:

• Plans and procedures
• Physical infrastructure; information and communication technology infrastructure
• Information systems and data standards, and
• Human resources.

Members can also assist in the focus areas of the WHO Network, namely:

• Implementing standards and promoting interoperability;
• Capacity building and exercises;
• Collaboration and partnership to synergize efforts;
• Enhancing communication and the exchange of information; and
• Generating research and evidence.

The intention of the Network is for members with greater capacity in any of the core components to provide support to PHEOCs with smaller capacity, through the provision of technical support, sharing of experiences and best practices, and the provision of training workshops. 

The Network has established a technical working group comprising PHEOC managers / coordinators, other PHEOC staff across the Region and technical partners. This working group is engaged in developing PHEOC norms and standards, and their implementation.

• Members of the network include:

• The WHO AFRO Health Emergencies Programme as the secretariat of the network
• Public health EOCs in the 47 Member States in the WHO African Region
• Regional and international organizations (including UN agencies, regional intergovernmental agencies, and nongovernmental organizations). The Network also includes partners, such as DFID, US CDC and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Individuals, including emergency/event managers, technical experts and other professionals who have an active role in public health emergency preparedness and response.
• We would also like to invite universities and public health research institutes, especially those that conduct research and develop standards and tools for emergency response and Emergency Operations Centres.