Genomics in Action: Zambia’s Path Toward Integrated Pathogen Surveillance

Abstract

Genomic surveillance is increasingly central to public health, and the Africa CDC calls on African Union Member States to integrate genomics into national health systems. This editorial reflects on the 2nd Zambia Genomics Symposium, held on 27 and 28 August 2026 under the theme of integrating AI and One Health for enhanced pathogen surveillance, and considers where Zambia's surveillance system stands. Zambia has strengthened sequencing capacity, trained a growing cadre of molecular biologists and bioinformaticians, and formed the Zambia Genomic Sequencing Consortium. Local research now spans wastewater surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, viral genomics, and the microbiome, including work on hypervirulent and multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and on SARS-CoV-2 variants. The authors argue that the defining challenge is not generating evidence but translating it into routine surveillance, policy, and frontline action, held back by concentrated sequencing capacity, a stretched bioinformatics workforce, and maturing data governance. They call on government to prioritise genomic surveillance with dedicated budgets and clear governance, on universities to embed genomics and bioinformatics early in curricula, on partners to align funding with national priorities, and on scientists to keep publishing and collaborating.