Washington D.C. - From 17-21 March 2025, the Naval Medical Research Unit EURAFCENT visited the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa at their Western Kenta Field Station in Kenya for training on wastewater-based disease surveillance techniques.
During the training, experts shared techniques for selecting collection sites, collecting samples, and processing these samples using genetic sequencing to detect pathogens early—before patients display symptoms.
“Wastewater surveillance allows us to better predict when disease outbreaks are going to occur,” explained U.S. Army Maj. Luis Pow Sang, chief of microbiology at WRAIR-Africa, emphasizing the method’s potential to enhance both civilian and force health.
WRAIR-Africa has been doing wastewater surveillance for a Global Emerging Infections Surveillance-funded project since late 2023. It is a process by which genetic sequencing is used to find pathogens in wastewater, allowing scientists to determine when those pathogens are spreading in an area before patients begin showing symptoms.
Using the same methods will allow WRAIR-Africa and NAMRU EURAFCENT to coordinate their efforts for a more economically sensible and standardized protocol across the African footprint.
The technique, which has also proven valuable during military operations such as Justified Accord 2025, allows commanders to detect potential outbreaks early and take preemptive measures. Plans are underway to secure local approval for expanding the method to other exercises, including African Lion in Morocco, where additional surveillance tools are already in use.
“The training was a total success, and getting the opportunity to work with the team was a fantastic benefit to our ability to coordinate,” elaborated Pow Sang. “With the training complete, NAMRU EURAFCENT’s Ghana Detachment is now initiating a wastewater surveillance program of their own.”
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