East African Health Platform pays courtesy call on EAC Secretary General
…as the Secretary General calls for more action as opposed to advocacy from Civil Society and Private Sector
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 13th 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.
Welcoming his guest to the EAC Headquarters, the Secretary General noted the importance of EAHP in creating a network that brings together the regional and national networks of health stakeholders in East Africa in addition to pushing for EAC health policy formulation, implementation and holding the EAC Partner States accountable on matters health.
Hon. Mathuki challenged the EAHP to put their advocates in health policy formulation in action in order to promote the development of health policies and legislation in the Community.
“The time for advocacy is over, now its time for actions and solutions as the region facing a number of challenges on health including Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Mathuki.
The Secretary General informed the EAHP delegation that EAC Partner States have been cooperating in the implementation of various initiatives under the health sector such as taking joint action towards the prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and the control of pandemics and epidemics; the promotion of management of health delivery systems to enhance efficiency of health care services within the Partner States; development of a common drug policy; harmonization drug registration procedures, and; harmonization of national health policies and regulations.
Dr. Mathuki urged EAHP to promote the coordination and harmonization of the regional response measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in a holistic multisectoral approach and help in the strengthening national health policies, systems and infrastructure for the welfare of the population.
“Its high time now for you to take a front seat in mobilization of financial, human, and other resources in partnership with EAC to combat COVID-19 in the region and access to vaccines by the citizens of the EAC Partner States,” said the Secretary General.
On his part, the EAHP Chairperson, Dr. Aflodis Kagaba, reaffirmed EAHP’s commitment to facilitating growth and effective contribution of health while promoting regional health integration for the benefit of the EAC population.
Dr. Kagaba hailed the EAC for establishment of the Consultative Dialogue Framework and Regional Dialogue Committee of which EAHP is a member, adding that much more needs to be done to put the concept of people-centred and private sector-led integration into practice.
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