Since the program’s launch in the spring of 2020, Sentinel has made important progress implementing its framework and supporting local capacity for disease surveillance in West Africa. Sentinel-supported teams have enabled early detection and rapid response to Marburg, mpox, Lassa, dengue, and COVID-19, providing critical data to inform government action. 

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To date more than 3,000 public health workers from 53 of 54 countries in Africa have been trained through Sentinel’s approach.

 

COVID-19: Sentinel rapidly expanded genomic and diagnostic capacity across Africa, establishing pipelines with national partners. In March 2020, IGH sequenced Africa’s first SARS-CoV-2 genome within 72 hours of sample receipt. Sentinel supported testing for over 30 million people, deployed SHINE and CARMEN technologies, and led genomic surveillance in 26 countries. This work helped identify one of the first globally recognized variants of concern. Sentinel also trained scientists from 53 African countries, strengthening long-term preparedness. The Sentinel team also led one of the largest diagnostic and sequencing centers in the U.S. and supported global data sharing and informatics efforts.

 

Mpox: In 2023, Sentinel traced an mpox outbreak in Nigeria to oil workers in Rivers State, guiding the NCDC’s targeted vaccination strategy. Sentinel also hosted a three-week genomics bootcamp that trained regional professionals in real-time sequencing and analysis. Genomic data revealed sustained human transmission of the West African subtype, with signs of adaptation and rising pandemic potential. When an outbreak emerged in Sierra Leone in 2024, local public health teams, supported by Sentinel, initiated sequencing and shared real-time data. Analysis identified a new highly transmissible G.1 variant spreading beyond previously affected groups. Sentinel tools and team members remain central to guiding the national response.

 

Marburg: In 2024, Sentinel supported the Rwandan government during a Marburg outbreak in Kigali. IGH provided outbreak reconstruction and real- time sequencing, while Prof. Happi co-chaired the national scientific response. The outbreak was contained at 66 cases, with the case fatality rate reduced to 22%, far below historical averages.

 

Building off of these successes, Sentinel is poised for its next phase: deepening national integration, expanding its reach, and advancing a globally transferable model for pandemic prevention. As we continue to drive forward our mission to share the future of disease prevention and pathogen surveillance, create the future of disease prevention and preemption, we hope to prevent the next  pandemic before it starts, reducing fear and panic, as well as save lives.