ARUSHA: THE East African Community (EAC) has received a substantial donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) valued at 500,000 euros from the German government to enhance its response to the ongoing Mpox virus outbreak affecting several member states, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi.
The assistance underscores the commitment of both the EAC and Germany to tackle public health crises collaboratively, ensuring readiness and prompt action during infectious disease outbreaks.
The PPE donation ceremony was held at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, where EAC Secretary General Veronica Nduva acknowledged the urgency of the situation and emphasised the seriousness of the outbreak.
By the end of October, over 7,000 confirmed cases of Mpox had been recorded in the DRC, with children under 15 years old accounting for 40 per cent of those infected, highlighting the vulnerability of young populations to the disease.
In response to this pressing need, the EAC Secretariat plans to deploy regional health experts over the next six months to support health efforts in the DRC and Burundi.
The collaboration will involve joint deployments of regional experts alongside Germany’s Standing Epidemic Preparedness Team (SEEG) and marks the first activation of the EAC’s Rapid Deployable Expert (RDE) pool in response to an international health emergency, representing a significant milestone in the region’s public health framework.
“The EAC region has long faced recurrent infectious disease outbreaks, such as Ebola, Marburg, measles, avian flu and Covid-19, each of which has posed severe threats to health, stability and the economy of the region,” Nduva noted.
This comprehensive public health response to the Mpox outbreak illustrates the EAC’s increasing focus on preparedness.
The Mpox outbreak, which first emerged in eastern DRC, has spread throughout the region, impacting neighbouring Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
The Secretary General highlighted the EAC region’s unique vulnerability, where the constant movement of people and goods facilitates the rapid transmission of zoonotic diseases.
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As part of the EAC’s proactive response, 140 regional experts have received extensive training in infectious disease management and outbreak response to enable effective disease control and containment.
Head of the East Africa Division at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Marcus von Essen, revealed that BMZ, through its development bank KFW, has been instrumental in establishing 10 mobile laboratory units across the EAC since 2016.
The mobile lab network has equipped the region with vital diagnostic and testing capabilities, enabling timely responses to health threats, he said.
“We support the EAC’s mandate of regional economic integration, for which smooth cross-border movement of goods and people is essential but this movement must be disease-free,” von Essen stated. He praised the EAC’s decision to mobilise trained health specialists through its RDE Pool.
The 500,000 euros donation will primarily fund the procurement of PPE after consultations with partner states regarding their specific needs.
Additionally, a portion of the funds will facilitate the deployment of RDE experts along the DRC-Burundi border, where the highest concentration of cases has been reported.
The handover ceremony was attended by the ambassadors of Burundi and the DRC, Ms Leontine Nzeyimana and Mr Louis Manzombi, who both expressed gratitude for the critical support and urged ongoing international cooperation to combat the spread of infectious diseases within the region.
