East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 14th October, 2024: The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat successfully concluded a three-day workshop in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where EAC Partner States Supply Chain Experts from the National/Central Medical Store, ICT Experts from the National/Central Medical Stores, EAC Pooled Procurement Mechanism focal persons, EAC Regional Digital Health Facilitators, System Architects, and Developers were trained on using the newly developed digital tool for improving access to health Commodities.
The workshop held from 7th – 9th October, 2024, among other things, highlighted key achievements in digital health innovations, explored strategies to enhance access to health information, and emphasised the importance of digital transformation and innovation in strengthening regional cooperation in the health sector across East Africa.
The workshop was facilitated by the EAC Secretariat and the EAC Regional Centre of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunisation and Health Supply Chain Management (VIHSCM).
Speaking during the opening session of the training workshop, Eng. Andrew C. Kajeguka, EAC Senior Health Informatics Officer, on behalf of the EAC Principal Health Officer, Dr. Eric Nzeyimana underscored the region's significant progress in digital health. He noted that the EAC Regional Health Data Governance Framework, recently approved by the 24th EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health, is now serving as a key reference for implementing various digital health initiatives, with a strong emphasis on data sharing, protection, privacy, and security.
Eng. Kajeguka revealed that the development of the EAC Regional Health Data Governance Framework aimed at creating an enabling environment and a shared vision for seamless and secure cross-border health data sharing throughout the EAC region.
He disclosed that the framework was made possible through financial support from various partners, including the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) through the EAC Integrated Health Programme (EIHP), the Federal Republic of Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW), the USAID’s Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) and East Africa project under Abt Associates Inc.,
Other partners were the EAC Regional Centre of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunization, and Health Supply Chain Management (EAC RCE-VIHSCM) at the University of Rwanda, the Pan African Health Informatics Association (HELINA) and East African Integrated Disease Surveillance network (EAIDSNet).
“This framework represents a commitment to harnessing the power of data responsibly and ethically, laying the groundwork for a healthier, more equitable future for all citizens of the EAC region,” said Eng. Kagejuka.
Eng. Kajeguka informed the participants that the framework was developed as part of the implementation of the directives of the 23rd Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health that directed the EAC Secretariat to develop an instrument that will facilitate data security, privacy, use, and sharing of health data.
He said the framework is essential for building trust among the Partner States and ensuring the secure, efficient exchange of health data and information in the region. The framework will also play a pivotal role in advancing regional health cooperation, facilitating the seamless sharing of health data while upholding stringent security and privacy standards.
Eng. Kajeguka further said that framework expected to strengthen national, regional, and global partnerships, improving accountability and transparency across the health sector. Ultimately, it aims to harmonise health data governance strategies across EAC member states, fostering cross-border data flows with the necessary protections to enhance public health outcomes and support sustainable development.
On his part, Eng. John Ring Dut, the chairperson of the meeting and the EAC Focal Person for Health, Republic of South Sudan, said the region still faces challenges of disease outbreaks, global climate change, and its consequences and calls for collective efforts to guarantee that the system systems developed comply with the simplicity of use so that end users can effectively operate them efficiently. These are possible when instruments are available to safeguard them against unforeseen consequences.
Dr. Domina Asingizwe, Research Coordinator at the EAC Regional Centre of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunization, and Health Supply Chain Management (VIHSCM), praised the collaboration of EAC Partner States in the development of the digital platform. She emphasized that it is now the appropriate time to introduce end users to these digital innovations.
Notes to Editors
The development of the Framework involved extensive country consultations and took over 12 months to complete. Various mixed methods were employed, including desk reviews, landscape assessments, in-depth interviews, and stakeholder consultative workshops.
Key stakeholders participated at various stages, including policymakers, parliamentarians, regulators, health and legal professionals, EAC Secretariat officials, members of the EAC Regional Experts Working Group (EWG) on Digital Health, Data, Technologies & Innovations (DIDATI), representatives from the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), and national parliaments, as well as numerous professionals during country consultations. Additionally, members of the EAC Technical Working Groups (TWGs) on Health Policy and Health Systems, Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases, senior officials from the EAC Partner States, and the EAC Secretariat contributed. The Framework was ultimately considered and approved by the 24th EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health.
The 24th Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health directed the EAC Secretariat to collaborate with the Partner States to ensure effective coordination and implementation of the Framework and other regional digital health initiatives. This coordination is critical to developing robust, responsible, secure, and ethical health data systems that facilitate transborder data flows and improve access to health services for target populations across the region. The Framework’s implementation includes plans to deploy standardised, secure enterprise-level health data solutions, address the fragmentation of digital health systems, and enable seamless, secure cross-border health data sharing within the EAC.
The Framework stipulates guidelines for different data lifecycle steps, including cross-border data, data management, data ownership, security, privacy, and confidentiality. It calls for strategic collaboration and coordinated investment in digital health transformation, regional institutional framework, capacity building in digital infrastructure, digital and data skills, cyber security, and public-private partnerships.
For more information, please contact:
Simon Peter Owaka
Senior Public Relations Officer
Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 768 552087
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of eight (8) Partner States, comprising the Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The Federal Republic of Somalia was admitted into the EAC bloc by the Summit of EAC Heads of State on 24th November, 2023 and became a full member on 4th March, 2024.