East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 12th October, 2018: The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat is intensifying preparedness efforts against outbreaks of infectious diseases in the region. “The world continues to be challenged by public health threats like the current Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo which are prone to crossing borders and threatening lives and livelihoods and the economy as a whole”, said Frederik Copper of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Headquarters in Geneva at an EAC stakeholder meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. It was therefore important to exercise, practice and plan to build capacity for better outbreak preparedness and response. The stakeholder meeting took place at the International Center for Insect Ecology and Physiology (icipe) on 11-12 October 2018. It kicked off the preparation for a cross-border field simulation exercise in Namanga in June 2019. “The EAC Secretariat will convene the exercise under the directive of the Sectoral Council of Ministers of Ministers of Health”, says Andrew Charles, EAC Health Department.
The simulation will take place around the One Stop Border Post between Kenya and Tanzania and involve the EAC Partner States of Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda. It will be facilitated by WHO as the lead agency and stage a One Health scenario that involves different sectors of society. The approach includes all stakeholders which are affected by an outbreak or can contribute to preparedness, response and mitigation. It reflects the fact that most outbreaks are of a zoonotic nature meaning that they can be transmitted between humans and animals.
The exercise is being planned at a time where the region is under threat of the current Ebola virus disease outbreak close to the border with Uganda. By 9 October 2018 the number of cases was at 188 and 119 people had died of the disease.
Stakeholders from various sectors in Kenya and Tanzania as well as from regional and international organisations participated in the meeting including agriculture and livestock, trade, tourism, environment, the border post and airports, immigration, business, military and police forces. Furthermore, there were representatives from the Namanga community, farmers, traders and religious leaders.
The EAC Secretariat urged participants to prepare for the field simulation exercise through sensitization on existing contingency plans and training of staff on the ground and to contribute to mobilising the necessary resources for pandemic preparedness.
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For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 784 835021 Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 5th October, 2018: The East African Community (EAC) Partner States have intensfied efforts for preparedness and response following the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In a two day joint technical meeting involving the EAC Partner States (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda) and the DRC held on 2nd and 3rd october 2018 in Entebbe, Uganda, all states reported a high alert position.
In the meeting, which was organised by the EAC Secretariat with support from various partners, the EAC Acting Head of Health, Dr. Michael Katende observed that the risk of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) for EAC Partner States was real and high. The Risk of EVD outbreak is hightened especially for those Partner States that share the border with DRC due to high of volume of people moving across the borders for trade and other reasons, but also due to the high Influx of refugees, into the EAC region.
At the meeting, the DRC was represented by a 12 man delegation, with a wealth of experience.
The meeting discussed the strengthenining of cross border disease surveillence and emergency preparedness and response. The meeting noted that the current outbreak in Beni town of the DRC was closer to Uganda’s border hence more efforts for active surveillance. Key to sucess of the efforts employed so far is that there were no confirmed cases of EVD in any of the EAC Partner States.
According to the delegation from DRC and World Health Organisation (WHO), the current EVD outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces in DRC was escalated by worsening insecurity, mistrust from affected communities, and extension into previously unaffected areas. As of 2ndOctober 2018, a total of 161 case had been reported, 129 confirmations and a case fatality rate of 57%.
All EAC Partner States at the meeting are currently on a high alert following the July 28th announcement of EVB outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces by WHO, and have undertaken various preparedness and response activities in case of an outbreak. All countries have undertaken evaluation of their national contigency plans for outbreak response and the capacities to implement them, activated emergency coordination structures with Rapid Response Teams (RRT) at all levels to monitor and respond in case of an outbreak. Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) have also been established to support the structures.
The staff managing the EOC and RRT have been trained and provided with appropriate equipment to detect and manage the outbreaks. Ambulances for patient transportation, sample storage and transportation, isolation/quarantine facilities, treatment facilities following International Health Regulations (IHR) have also been put in place.
Further the EAC Partner States and DRC have continued to build capacity of frontline health workers in high risk districts, including comunity health workers and security personnel.
In an effort to detect and quickly respond to an outbreak, the EAC Partner States have mapped areas, which have been categorised as High, Medium or Low risk and respoense mechanisms have been put in place. These include among others; Airports, crossborder entry and exit points and high economic activity areas like markets.
Border entry screening at all major border points in all high-risk districts have also been established. High and medium risk areas are being given special attention in terms of training of staff, supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), continuious screening among others. Using volunteers, and infrared thermometers, everyone crossing into Uganda from DRC is screened for body temperature. Those found with high temperature are further screened for Ebola-like symptoms.
On average, the busy border screening points receive 5,000 people, however during market days, the number grows tremendously; for instance, Mpondwe border point registers over 20,000 people during the market days - every Tuesday and Friday.
With support from WHO, the Republics of Uganda and Rwanda have also considered and plan to use of the Ebola Zaire Vaccine, specifically targeting frontline health workers who are managing the situation.
While the Republic of Burundi has employed using Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits (RDTs) to screen/test for EVD. The Republic of South Sudan (RSS) has made arrangements to refer samples to Uganda Virus Research Institute(UVRI) for testing.
In preparation for any suspected case, Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) have also been set up at Bundibugyo General Hospital, Bwera Hospital in Kasese, Rwebisengo Health Center in Ntoroko district and another is under construction at Naguru Friendship Hospital in Kampala.
These are fully equipped and on standby to manage any alert or suspect or confirmed case.
Risk communication and community engagement are also ongoing. Teams are engaged in door to door visits and distribution of Information Education Communication (IEC) material. Further to this, messages are also running on TV and radio to reach the wider public within and outside the high-risk districts.
The Public is urged to be on high alert too by observing a high sense of personal hygiene, avoid overcrowded places, direct contact with other people and to report cases of high temprature and bleeding from ears, nostrils and mouth to the nearest health facilities.
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For more information please contact: Owora Richard Othieno, Head of Department, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs; Tel: +255 784 835021; 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 five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 14th September, 2018: More than 100 EAC experts, citizens and guests gathered in Arusha on 4-5 September 2018 as part of a table top exercise (TTX) to identify opportunities for improvement in emergency preparedness and response. A TTX is a role-playing activity, which uses a fictitious story to test processes and mechanisms during an emergency.
In the TTX, the fictitious story focused on an imaginary outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. In addition to Kenyan and Tanzanian representatives, three of six EAC Partner States – Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda – participated as observers.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) facilitated the exercise, with support from the government of Germany through the Deutsche Gesellschaft fürInternationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
Rift Valley Fever is a disease that impacts both animals and humans, and thus requires a “One Health” approach, which integrates both human health and animal health expertise. The “One Health” approach acknowledges and respects the connection between the health of humans, animals, and the environment.
“The TTX was particularly timely, as our region is frequently impacted by outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever and other diseases of animal origin – including Ebola,” said Dr. Michael Katende of the EAC Secretariat. “The Secretariat honors the dedication of all in involved in “One Health” and the TTX, as we work together to address our shared regional concerns.”
The TTX provided an opportunity to train participants on their roles and responsibilities in preparedness and response – including risk and crisis communication, stakeholder coordination, logistics, management, and leadership.
The meeting attracted some 100 representatives from EAC Partner States, including Ministries of East African Affairs, Health, Agriculture, Tourism, and the Environment. The attendees included representatives from the military, tourism and trade, business, human and animal health, public medical facilities, Ports of Entry, communities, religious leaders and media.
External participants came from regional and international organisations, including the African Union, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO/ECTAD), the German Federal Friedrich Loeffler Institute for Research on Animal Health, KfW/Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), One Health Central and Southern Africa (OHCEA) and Public Health England (PHE).
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For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 784 835021 Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Technology can bolster access, use and improve performance of health services in EAC
Executive Secretary of the East Africa Health Research Commission to speak at the 3rd 3rd East Africa Business and Entrepreneurship Conference & Exhibition
Arusha, Tanzania: 12th September, 2018: A prosperous and healthy region is one where each EAC Partner State can participate fully in trade and industry within an environment which sustains and nourishes its people, free of health threats and capable of providing universal care to all.
Porous borders and the fluid movement of people underscore the need for a regional approach to tracking and responding to regional health priority needs while laying the groundwork for a robust and sustainable regional economy. Technology can help to strengthen regional health systems by bolstering the access, use, and improve performance of health services.
The 3rd East Africa Business and Entrepreneurship Conference & Exhibition will have multiple sessions including a jointly organised health session by East Africa Business Council (EABC) and East African Health Platform (EAHP).
Prof. Gibson Kibiki, Executive Secretary, East Africa Health Research Commission (EAHRC) is one of the key high level policy decision makers expected to speak during the sector session on health at the 3rd East African Business & Entrepreneurship Conference & Exhibition. The conference is scheduled to take place on 30th -31st October in Kampala, Uganda.
Prof. Kibiki will shed light on the Digital Regional East African Community Health (Digital REACH) Initiative.“Digital Regional East African Community Health is a ground-breaking initiative within the East African Community (EAC) that will implement ICT across all dimensions of the health sector in East Africa” said Prof. Gibson Kibiki, EAHRC Executive Secretary.
Other key industry champions expected lead discussions and identify missing links to promote an enabling environment for digital health in the EAC include Dr Amit Thakker, Chairman, East African Health Platform, Anne Therese Ndong-Jatta Director, UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa and Dr Roger Ciza Executive Director, Health Healing Network Burundi.
This year’s East African Business and Entrepreneurship Conference and Exhibition will focus on the Digital Economy and evaluate how the EAC policies and regulatory frameworks are currently set to spur growth and enhance the Integration process.
“An important dimension and benefit of creating an enabling environment for digital health in the EAC is in stimulating private-sector investment.” said Prof. Gibson Kibiki, EAHRC Executive Secretary.
Private sector can play an important role in addressing complex, systemic challenges complementing government efforts.
“Tackling issues such as policies, infrastructure and making a clear business case for partnerships and investment can help bring the influence and strength of the private sector to invest in digital health,” said Ms. Lilian Awinja, EABC CEO.
The conference sector session and parallel exhibition will showcase investment opportunities in the region as well as innovative market developments in the areas of Internet of Things, energy, agri-business, health, mobility, fin-tech and e-commerce.
About East African Business and Entrepreneurship Conference and Exhibition
The East African Business & Entrepreneurship Conference & Exhibition is an annual event rotating in all Partner States of the East African Community (EAC), co-organized in collaboration with the respective EAC Investment Promotion Authorities. The first East African Business & Entrepreneurship Conference & Exhibition was successfully held in October 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya while the second took place in November 2017 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The conference aims to enhance policy predictability, increase business confidence, nature entrepreneurship, innovation and attract more cross border and foreign direct investments into the EAC region. It convenes together high-level government and private sector decision makers from the EAC Partner States, entrepreneurs and investors from the region and abroad to discuss policies and legislations as well as chart out appropriate recommendations in a bid to improve the EAC business environment. Visit: http://eabc-online.com/entrepreneurship/
About East African Business Council
The East African Business Council (EABC) is the regional apex body of Private Sector associations and Corporates from the 6 East African Countries. It was established in 1997 to foster the interests of the Private Sector in the Integration process of the East African Community. Being the representative of Private Sector associations in the region, EABC was granted observer status in organs and activities of the East African Community (EAC). EABC therefore participates in various sectoral meetings, meetings of the Coordination Committee, the EAC Council of Ministers, and the Summit of the EAC Heads of State; with a view to ensure, that the agenda of the Private Sector is well articulated and received by the policy makers.
Vision: Borderless East Africa for business and investment.
Mission: To promote sustainable Private Sector-driven growth.
For more information about EABC, visit www.eabc.info.
About East African Health Platform
East African Health Platform (EAHP) is an advocacy forum for Private Sector Organizations (PSOs), Civil Society organizations CSOs), Faith Based Organizations FBOs) and other interest groups working on health in East Africa. It was founded in 2012 subsequent to the approval of the dialogue framework between PSOs, CSOs and the East African Community (EAC). Its mandate is to provide the space, be the voice, and representative of PSOs, CSOs, FBOs, and other Interest Groups of East Africa to effectively drive sustainable health, development and growth in the region.
Vision: A healthy and productive population which enjoys quality and affordable health care within EAC region.
Mission: To coordinate and facilitate CSOs, PSOs, FBOs, and other Interest Groups in improving the regions health through promoting pro-growth policies and appropriate legislation.
Patrick Moshi, Communication, PR and Advocacy East African Business Council (EABC) Cell+255 758 489761; Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;
East African Community Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania, 11 June, 2018:
The EAC region is taking action to prevent future outbreaks of infectious diseases by strengthening its response capacity, supporting Partner States in their pandemic preparedness measures and preparing to test its readiness in practice. These efforts are in line with a new World Health Organization (WHO) guidance document that lists 5 out of the 6 East African Community (EAC) Partner States as priority countries regarding the risk of a spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
In its “Regional Strategic EVD Readiness Preparedness Plan”, WHO ranked Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania as priority 2 and Uganda as priority 3 countries. The ratings are determined based on the countries’ proximity to DRC and the capacity of their health systems to cope with an Ebola outbreak. EAC Partner States share borders with the DRC, maintain direct flights and close trade relations and there is high border traffic. These factors have caused the EAC to be on high alert, and Partner States are implementing extensive readiness measures. To date, no cases of Ebola have been detected in the EAC region.
EAC preventive activities cover key technical areas listed in WHO’s new EVD Readiness Plan, such as multi-sectoral coordination, risk communications, social mobilisation and community engagement. The EAC has a regional contingency plan in place that reflects the multi-disciplinary One Health disease management approach and is currently developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to translate the plan into action. The plan considers important lessons learned from East African experts who fought Ebola in West Africa. One of these lessons is that risk and crisis communication together with community engagement was a “game changer” in the response. Consequently, the EAC Secretariat together with the Partner States is currently developing a regional risk and crisis communication strategy and related SOPs.
Standard operating procedures will also be developed as a first step towards establishing a regional pool of rapidly deployable experts that build on the experience gathered in West Africa. The pool is expected to complement national rapid response teams during future outbreaks. A core team of multi-disciplinary experts will receive training in risk and crisis communication, and another core team will be trained as regional trainers in rapid risk assessment.
To test the successful implementation of the mentioned strategies, the functionality of the SOPs and the region’s improved capacities, the EAC together with the Partner States is preparing to conduct cross-border simulation exercises. They will also offer a unique opportunity to reveal the gaps that still need to be closed in joint efforts.
On behalf of the German Government, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH through the “Support to Pandemic Preparedness in the EAC Region” project amongst other development partners supports the EAC Secretariat in its endeavour to strengthen its advisory and coordinating role for the Partner States in pandemic preparedness.
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For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 784 835021 Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001:2008 Certified
Othieno Richard Owora
Principle Corporate and Communications Officer
East African Community Secretariat
Tel: +255 27 2162 100
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
East African Community Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania, 19th May, 2018:
On 8 May, 2018, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) declared an outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Bikoro Health Zone, Equateur Province in the Western part of the country.
By 15 May, 2018 a total of 44 EVD cases (3 confirmed) had been reported with 19 deaths, including three health care workers. As of 16 May, 393 contacts had been identified and are being followed. A new confirmed case in the 1.2 million people town of Mbandaka, some 150 km away from Bikoro, increases the risk of spreading the disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO), Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international organization are on site and supporting the DRC in the fight against the outbreak, the ninth that has occurred in the country.
Ebola is a zoonotic virus disease that is transmitted from animals to humans. Experts believe that bats are the reservoir for the pathogen. While they do not get sick, the Ebola virus causes a severe, often fatal illness in humans. It spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission, via direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people and through contaminated surfaces and materials, such as bedding or clothing. There is no therapy yet for EVD and about 50% of people infected with the virus may die. Health workers have an increased risk due to the nature of their work that exposes them to infected people.
Five out of six EAC Partner States share borders with the DRC, and all of them maintain close trade relations with high border traffic. There are also direct flights between the DRC and individual East African Partner States. These factors have caused the EAC to be on high alert. Partner States have put safety measures in place that range from screening people arriving from DRC at the border posts for signs of the disease to alerting health personnel; enhancing diagnostic capacities at major research centres; and informing citizens of the risk and of preventive measures. To date, no cases of Ebola have been detected in the EAC region.
The EAC region has experienced a number of Ebola outbreaks in the past, and some 500 East African experts assisted in the fight against Ebola in West Africa in 2014-2016, when the disease killed more than 11,000 out of almost 30,000 infected people. These experts represent a unique pool of professionals from different disciplines, all with hands-on experience in responding to EVD outbreaks. They can be mobilised at short notice to join the common effort of preventing the disease to spread into the EAC.
Still, the EAC Secretariat encourages the public to be vigilant and alert. People should seek medical attention when the following symptoms are observed: a sudden onset of fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is often followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, and a skin rash. It can be accompanied by internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools). The public is also urged to continue cooperating with the health workers of their nearest health facilities by availing themselves of information about EVD.
The EAC Secretariat commends the Partner States for their vigilance and quick and prudent response across disciplines as reflected in the One Health approach. The Secretariat will continue to monitor the situation together with the EAC Partner States to detect any occurrence of EVD in the region at the earliest possible time.
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For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 784 835021 Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Recognizing the aspiration expressed by EAC Partner States to develop their pharmaceutical industry including vaccine manufacturing, as part of the regions’, social, economic and political integration agenda;
Noting the strategic importance of developing local production of pharmaceutical products in promoting access to affordable quality vaccines as outlined in the EAC Regional Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan Of Action for the period 2017-2027;
Motivated by the growing pharmaceutical spending in Africa at a compound annual growth rate of 10.6%, in particular, the growth in the East African Community (EAC which has the highest pharmaceutical sales growth in Africa estimated at 12.4% in the next five years, and further spurred by a convergence of demographic changes, increasing wealth and healthcare investment, and challenges around increasing cases of chronic diseases.
Cognizant of the utmost importance of strengthening regional and national coordination of industrial and health, policies to ensure a coherent policy environment, reliable government procurement, product quality assurance, and market certainty for local production and improving access to vaccines.
Noting on the one hand that a huge amount of all vaccines supplied by GAVI and other partners go to Africa and that on the other hand a growing number of countries are on a trajectory to graduate out of GAVI support, a huge demand for regional vaccine production can be identified in Africa.
Aware of the positive socio-economic impact that regional manufacturing of vaccines will have on the EAC economies in addition to their secured availability through reforms in the procurement strategy, and noting that effective implementation of procurement policy and practices would catalyse regional vaccine supply,
Conscious of the crucial role played by regional businesses to realise the regional vaccine supply, and the prominent role occupied by transfer of technology as a means to promoting local production in developing countries and improving access to vaccines with the intent of enabling the technological or manufacturing capacity in the region;
Reaffirming the necessity for states and private entities to work together to guarantee a regulatory framework in which businesses focussing on regional vaccine production can flourish;
Eager to build upon the important momentum the present symposium has triggered a follow-up by all parties present shall be guaranteed whilst inviting others to join these efforts; and
Acknowledging the aforementioned and guided by the outmost importance of vaccines in mitigating the social and economic impact caused by infectious diseases, the symposium participants drawn from the public and private sector, gathered on the 18th of April 2018 in Arusha, in order to discuss the opportunities and challenges of regional vaccine production in East Africa region, now resolve as follows:
EAC to develop a harmonized regional policy and regulatory framework for local production of vaccines which will contribute to health security by ensuring uninterrupted supply of essential vaccines and further prevent greater disruptions in rural and poor areas.;
EAC to promote the establishment of a regional bio-technology and vaccine manufacturing hub, to facilitate technology transfer, promote local production and improving access to vaccines with the intent of enabling the technological or manufacturing capacity of the region in a mutually beneficial manner, while promoting public health objectives.
EAC to commit to enhance resources to improve Health system infrastructure and human resources with respect to vaccination (vaccine delivery infrastructure). This should be examined comprehensively to identify gaps and opportunities.
EAC regulatory agencies to share regulatory knowledge and experience and harmonize approaches to inspection and control to greatest extent possible to mitigate health risks associated with large volumes of biological medicinal products crossing national borders,
EAC to consider establishing a regional vaccine manufacturing facility either through public-private partnership or purely public agency to meet the regional demand for vaccine supplies within the framework of regional industries. In this regards, there is need for quick harmonization of the relevant national and regional procurement and distribution policies and Identify opportunities and incentives to promote local production and sourcing of vaccines and related materials.
EAC in collaboration with East African Business Council; Federation of East African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers FEAPM to explore the scope for formation of advocacy platform and networks for Vaccine manufacturing comprising governmental organizations, researchers, private sector to provide forum to discuss challenges, opportunities and emerging issues including diseases and partnership;
AS first step towards vaccine production in the region, EAC to give priority to pool procurement of vaccine as an opportunity to lower the prices for vaccine and ensure stable access and supply. Regional mechanisms with specific agreed term of references should be established to look at the procurement criteria and negotiation with manufacturers. A similar example from ECOWAS should be studied;
EAC to put in place fiscal and non fiscal incentive frameworks that will promote local production of vaccines and drive investments in the pharmaceutical sector local production in general. In addition the EAC Partner States to put in place a conducive investment climate that will lower the cost of doing business and promote foreign direct investment that is market driven.
EAC to collaborate with academia, East African Science and Technology Commision (EASTECO), and other partners to promote best practices, science, technology and innovation to enhance competitiveness in local production of vaccines.
East African Community Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania, 18th April, 2018:
The 1st East African Vaccine Production Symposium kicked off in Arusha, Tanzania today with the Chairperson of the East African Community Council of Ministers, Hon. Dr. Kirunda Kivejinja, disclosing that the Community produces less than 30 per cent of the medicines required by its citizens, while importing the rest.
Hon. Kivejinja, who is also Uganda’s 2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EAC Affairs, further said that vaccines were among a category of medicines for which the region wholly depends on imports because there was currently no local production capacity.
Dr. Kivejinja, however, pointed out that the EAC had the highest projected pharmaceutical sales growth on the continent estimated at 12.4% over the next five years, a fact which points to immense business and investment opportunities for the private sector.
Hon. Kivejinja said it was worrying that communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS, and diaorrhea which were preventable were among the leading causes of death in the EAC, adding that the statistics for Sub-Saharan Africa were also not good.
“According to the World Health Organisation, non-communicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and chronic respiratory disease are projected to overtake communicable diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. Deaths from non-communicable diseases are expected to account for 42% of all deaths by 2020, up from roughly 25% today,” he said.
Hon. Kivejinja also launched the 2nd EAC Regional Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan of Action for the period 2017-2027, a plan that he said serve as a roadmap to guide the Community towards evolving into an efficient and effective regional pharmaceutical manufacturing hub.
“We have the need and you have the capacity to satisfy our need,” Hon. Kivejinja told private sector representatives.
He outlined a number of potential niches for expansion of the local product portfolio highlighted in the plan, namely the production of advanced formulations for non-communicable diseases, veterinary pharmaceuticals and development of natural products and traditional medicines.
“The plan also focuses on supporting production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients as well as promoting the sector specific service industry,” he added.
EAC Secretary General Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, in remarks read on his behalf by the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Christophe Bazivamo, said that the EAC was keen on upscaling its efforts on the transformation of regional economies through value addition, manufacturing and processing in the pharmaceutical sector.
Amb. Mfumukeko noted that compared with other regions on the continent, the pharmaceutical spending in the EAC region was the highest with an estimated current market rate of US$5.3 billion.
“In Africa, the pharmaceutical spending is currently estimated at US$30 billion and this value is driven by a 10.6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) second only to Asia Pacific (12.5%) and in line with Latin America (10.5%). Spurred by a convergence of demographic changes, increased wealth and healthcare investment and rising demand for medicines to treat chronic diseases, this market potentially represents a US$45 billion opportunity by 2020,” said the Secretary General.
Amb. Mfumukeko said that the region currently suffers from several challenges in pharmaceuticals production including a skills gap in product development and formulation expertise, and lack of appropriate and affordable financing for the sector.
Speaking at the forum, Ms. Asmau Nitardy, the Eastern Africa Regional Director of the German-African Business Association, said that the German health sector offers great potential to meet East African needs in medical technology and pharmaceutical sector.
“Innovative solutions are needed in healthcare infrastructure with the improvement of healthcare systems being an important policy focus in East Africa. The other major trend is the rising demand for medicines and equipment to treat chronic, non-communicable diseases,” said Nitardy.
“German companies are already well placed to cater to both industries having long-standing ties with various East African nations. The high quality of their products technical expertise in training local staff has made German medical companies a valuable partner to local authorities,” she added.
Also present at the event were the Rwandan Minister of Health, Dr. Diane Gashumba, Dr. Dafrossa Lyimo, Head of the Immunization Programme in Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Kirsten Focken, the GIZ Programme Manager, and Mr. Nazeem Mohammed, the Chairman of the Federation of East African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers.
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For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 784 835021 Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th March, 2018:
The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is keen on helping Africa to improve its healthcare systems, a delegation of South Korean MPs who visited the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, disclosed today.
Jun Hye Sook, a Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, who led the delegation of three MPs who visited the EAC Secretariat, said that the country had put in place a programme to train African doctors, medical experts and nurses in South Korea.
“Korea is aiming at teaching doctors and medical experts who will return home to serve their people,” she said.
“We also have Korean experts coming to African to build capacity among their African counterparts,” adding that the country was also contributing towards the upgrading of health infrastructure on the continent.
Hon. Sook and her team who held talks with the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, and other EAC officials, said South Korea was currently assisting in the construction of additional facilities at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Hon. Sook said her country was particularly keen on assisting African families who can’t afford to access quality healthcare due to abject poverty. The legislator said that Korean medicines were of world class quality.
The delegation, however, informed the Secretary General that Korean experts coming to East Africa were facing challenges in acquiring visas and work permits which would enable them to volunteer their services in the region.
Hon. Sook disclosed that South Korea had consistently increased her development assistance to Africa over the years with total aid quadrupling from US$107 million in 2008 to US$421 million in 2016.
“Most of the Korean aid to African countries goes towards water, health, education, energy and infrastructure development projects,” said the lawmaker.
In his remarks, EAC Secretary General Amb. Mfumukeko assured the Korean delegation that the Community would work closely with Partner States’ governments to address the issue of visa and work permits being encountered by Korean experts coming to the region to build capacity among doctors and other healthcare personnel.
He thanked South Korea for her generous assistance to the health sector, adding that the training of doctors, nurses and other medical specialists was crucial to the EAC.
“We have an ongoing programme for training of doctors, medical experts and nurses in Nairobi and Kampala. We also have programmes for strengthening the capacity of medical testing laboratories in the region. Also high on our agenda are vaccination programmes and manufacture of pharmaceuticals,” said Amb. Mfumukeko.
The SG said that the Community was keen on decentralizing health facilities from the Partner States capitals to secondary cities.
The SG said that East Africa looks up to Korea as an inspiration for development particularly in industrialization. He urged Koreans to seek partnerships and invest in the region noting that East Africa was ready to work with Korea in skills development and technology transfer.
He informed the Korean delegation that the Community had unveiled its 5th Development Strategy two weeks ago, adding that among the highlights in the Strategy are industrial development through increased investment, skills and technology transfer, and the creation of employment for the youth.
Also in the Korean delegation were MPs Kim Gyu Hwan and Song Ok-Joo and Ms. Jiin An, the First Secretary and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Korean Embassy in Dar es Salaam.
Amb. Mfumukeko was accompanied at the meeting by Eng. Steven Mlote, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, Ms. Suma Mwakyusa, Principal International Relations Officer, Mr. Julius Birungi, the Partnership Fund Manager, and Ms. Beata Mukabaranga, Principal Resource Mobilization Officer.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 784 835021 Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
East African Community, Kampala, Uganda, 21st February, 2018:
The Chairperson of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health and Minister of State Health in the Republic of Uganda, Hon Sarah Opendi, has said that the region is committed to eliminate HIV/AIDs and preventable maternal and child deaths by 2030.
Hon. Opendi urged stakeholders to work diligently to build consensus in the health sector in order to build the health of the EAC population.
Hon Opendi was speaking during the official opening of the 1st EAC Roundtable on investing in Health Infrastructure, systems, services and research for the accelerated attainment of Universal Health coverage and sustainable development at the Speke Resort Munyonyo, in Kampala, Uganda.
The Minister underscored the importance of investing in health, which is the most direct route of creating wealthy nations.
“Poor health hinders our ability to realize national and global socio-economic aspiration set out in the national development plans, Common Market Protocol, the EAC vision 2050 and SDGs,” she said.
She said the roundtable comes at time when the region was still facing major challenges of emerging and re-emerging diseases which calls for increased investment in human financial and technological resources by various stakeholders
“It is my sincere hope that this roundtable dialogue shall come up with concrete proposals and build consensus on priority health infrastructure systems, services and research investments with the highest potential to accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage and the health related sustainable development goals,” said Hon. Opendi.
She disclosed that the EAC Partner States were currently expanding the regions capacity to deliver high quality specialized health services through EAC Regional Centre of Excellence for higher medical education and research with the support from the African Development Bank.
On his part, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of the Productive and Social Sectors, Hon Christophe Bazivamo on behalf of the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, underscored the importance of regional cooperation in health within the context of EAC Common Market Protocol to be buttressed on harnessing the comparative advantage of all stakeholders including Public, Private and Civil Society.
“Through collaborative actions the region will reposition health as a key driver of economic growth and contribute to the attainment of the other pillars of regional integration,” said Hon. Bazivamo.
The Deputy Secretary General informed stakeholders at the roundtable that the region had made significant progress in many areas including expanding the capacity for delivery of high quality health services, training and research with the support of development Partners such as AfDB who financed the regional Centres of Excellence to facilitate access to specialized health care and cross border health services.
Hon Bazivamo called upon the stakeholders to use roundtable discussions to consolidate regional partnership in order to strengthen the health sector based on priorities identified by the region.
The 1st EAC Roundtable on investing in Health Infrastructure, system, services and research for the accelerated attainment of Universal Health coverage and sustainable development is being attended by among others, all the Ministers in charge of Health from the EAC Partner States, Permanent /Principal Secretaries and Senior Officials from government institutions and agencies.
The Joint Retreat is aimed at giving impetus to infrastructure and health development by way of harnessing political support for regional flagship projects, funding commitments, and Public-Private Partnerships arrangements.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 784 835021 Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
