| Issue/Objective |
African populations bear a disproportionate burden of global disease yet remain systematically excluded from the research that generates health solutions. A critical driver of this inequity is the fragmentation of African biobanking infrastructure, facilities storing biological specimens essential for health research. Without coordinated, quality-assured biobanking systems, African biological resources cannot support African-led research. This study aimed to map the current state of biobanking infrastructure across sub-Saharan Africa, identify systemic gaps, and assess institutional readiness for continental coordination. |
| Methodology/Approach |
A cross-sectional landscape survey was conducted across sub-Saharan Africa between 2022 and 2024. Structured questionnaires were administered to biobank managers and practitioners covering operational capacity, quality systems, governance frameworks, data management practices, and willingness for cross-border collaboration. Data were collected from 22 biobanks across 11 African countries. Findings were analysed thematically and quantitatively and published in the peer-reviewed journal Biopreservation and Biobanking. |
| Results |
Findings confirmed widespread fragmentation, biobanks operate in isolation with no shared standards, minimal cross-border collaboration, and limited global visibility. Critical gaps were identified in quality management systems, ethical and legal frameworks for cross-border sample sharing, sustainable funding, and human resource capacity. Despite these challenges, strong appetite for a coordinated continental platform was documented consistently across institutions and practitioners in all participating countries. |
| Discussion/Conclusion |
This study provides the first published empirical evidence of the scope and nature of African biobanking fragmentation, establishing a scientific case for continental coordination as a foundational health equity intervention. Findings directly informed the development of the Pan-African Biobanking Network and PABNet BioAtlas, Africa's first continent-wide specimen discovery platform. In a fragmented global health landscape, building African-owned research infrastructure is not peripheral it is central to reclaiming health equity. |
| Presenters and Affiliations |
Sandra Nanyonga Pan African Biobanking Network |
