EAC and IOM join hands to tackle infectious diseases

Posted in Health

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 26^th August 2021: Extensive land borders, along with previous disease outbreaks, make the six-member East African Community (EAC) susceptible to communicable infections, including cholera, measles, rift valley fever, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and e.coli infections.

However, thanks to a financial contribution of EUR 1.5 million from the German government, over one million people will be reached with health and hygiene promotion initiatives, in addition to 19 hand-washing facilities due to be installed in hot spot areas.

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Study indicates there was no Covid-19 in the EAC region before March 2020

Posted in Health

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 23^rd August 2021: COVID-19 most probably did not exist in the East African region before the first official cases were reported in March 2020, a study by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the East African Health Research Commission (EAHRC) indicates. 

The study aimed at verifying if COVID-19 infections had already occurred in the region in 2019 and therefore way before the first cases in Africa were reported by WHO in February 2020. It retested frozen swab samples taken from patients who presented with Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) between 01^st November 2019 and 29^th February 2020.  

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East African Health Platform pays courtesy call on EAC Secretary General

Posted in Health

…as the Secretary General calls for more action as opposed to advocacy from Civil Society and Private Sector

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 13^th August, 2021: A delegation from the East African Health Platform (EAHP) led by Dr. Aflodis Kagaba, today paid a courtesy call on the Secretary General of the East African Community, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

Hon. (Dr). Mathuki and Dr. Kagaba discussed the role of the Civil Society and Private Sector in health matters in the region. 

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Preparations in high gear for the 8th East Africa Health and Scientific Conference

Posted in Health

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 30^th July, 2021: The 8^th East Africa Health and Scientific Conference and International Health Exhibition and Trade Fair (EAHSC) is set to be held under a hybrid format in Nairobi, Kenya from 17^th to 19^th November, 2021 under the theme: East African Community Sustainable Development Goal on Health: Reflection and Path ahead to 2030.

The Conference will offer a wide range of technical presentations reflecting developments in the Health sector in the region and around the world. Discussions will focus on areas such as Reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health; Infectious Diseases; Universal Health Coverage; as well as Non-communicable diseases such as mental health and environmental risks.

The 2021 edition of the EAHSC will also incorporate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the region, specifically, the lessons learned and the epidemiology of the pandemic. Further, the Conference will provide room for discussions around Covid-19 vaccines - with a particular focus on: the procurement aspect, and the perception of the vaccines by citizens in the region; Covid-19 coverage and monitoring; management of Covid-19 cases; as well as the Covid-19 variants identified in the region.

The 8^th EAHSC will also feature an international health exhibition and trade fair. Research institutions, health care facilities, medical/health academic institutions, medical and pharma industries, NGO's, CSO's, Ministries, EAC Secretariat, International organizations, UN agencies (WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNESCO, etc.) will showcase their services and products at the fair.

Participants to showcase products from research, academia, healthcare services and the health sector in general at the exhibition and trade fair.

Call for Abstracts

The East African Health Research Commission (EAHRC) invites scholars, health professionals, scientists to submit their abstracts under the following thematic areas:

Abstract Topics

Main Theme: East African Community Sustainable Development Goal on Health: Reflection and Path Ahead to 2030. 

Sub-theme 1: Reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health

Sub-theme 2: Infectious Diseases

Sub-theme 3: Non-communicable diseases, mental health and environmental risks, substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol, tobacco, global deaths, and injuries from road traffic accidents.

Sub-theme 4: Universal Health Coverage

Sub-theme 5: COVID-19 Pandemic

Submission of Abstracts will close on 4^th September, 2021.  

All Abstracts should be submitted via  https://conferences.eahealth.org/call-for-abstract. 

About the EAHSC

The EAC Council of Ministers approved convening of the biennual event and to be hosted on a rotational basis by the EAC Partner States through their respective National Ministries responsible for EAC Affairs, Ministries responsible for Health, and other relevant organizations, and in close collaboration with regional and international health-related NGOs, civil society organizations, individuals, and stakeholders.

The Health and Scientific conferences provide a forum to contribute towards strengthening regional cooperation in the health sector, in line with Article 118 of the Treaty for the establishment of EAC as well as other relevant provisions of the EAC Common Market Protocol. 

For more information on the Conference, please visit https://conferences.eahealth.org

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: sowaka [at] eachq.org

About the East African Community Secretariat:

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of six Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001: 2015 Certified