EAC set to launch second phase of Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases Project

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East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9^th June, 2021: The second phase of the EAC Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases Project will be launched on 11^th June, 2021 at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

Funded by the Federal Government of Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW), the three year second phase of the project is set to further strengthen the capacities of the EAC Partner States to respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases, including bacterial diseases and cross-border epidemics.

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20th Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health underway

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East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 21^th April, 2021: The 20th Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers responsible for Health is currently underway via hybrid (physical and virtual) means. 

The five –day meeting kicked off with the Session of Senior Officials, which is expected to conclude today 21st April, 2021.This will be followed by the Coordination Committee, which consists of the Permanent/Principal Secretaries on 22^nd April, 2021 while the Ministerial Session will take place on Friday 23^rd April, 2021. 

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EAC strengthens capacity of staff at Ports for the prevention and detection of COVID-19

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East African Community, Arusha, Tanzania, 12th March 2021: Human mobility across countries has been one of the main sectors that facilitated the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the world, and many of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the EAC region have also had a history of travel. After staff at international airports and border posts in the EAC region was trained as trainers on preparedness and response measures to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, the first of 4 trainings at major harbors in the EAC region has started at the port of Mombasa, Republic of Kenya, on Monday, 8 March 2021. The trainings are convened by the EAC Secretariat and organised and conducted by AMREF Flying Doctors (AFD) in cooperation with WHO.  

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EAC Secretariat contributes to establishing a One Health workforce in the region

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East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 15 December 2020: Outbreaks of infectious diseases are not only a health concern but affect many sectors. In the case of the current COVID-19 pandemic education, tourism and trade were among those that were hardest hit. The EAC Secretariat addresses this issue by applying the One Health approach in disease management. The approach involves all areas of society that would be affected by a disease outbreak, can contribute to preventing and combating it and to mitigating its impact. “In an effort to establish and train an urgently needed, strong One Health workforce, the EAC Secretariat with support from universities in all EAC Partner States and from the German Government developed a regional, generic, interdisciplinary postgraduate course on “Pandemic Preparedness with a One Health Approach (PPOH)”, explains the Hon. Christophe Bazivamo, Deputy Secretary General Productive and Social Sectors. “The curriculum will enable these experts to consider the needs of various stakeholders stronger, when mitigating the impact of disease outbreaks like COVID-19”.

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