Leverage on New Technologies to Tackle Emerging Diseases, EAC Partner States Urged

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 27th September, 2023: Health experts in the East African Community (EAC) Partner States have been urged to use new technologies to manage emerging diseases.   Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, said that digital technologies would enable Partner States to use limited personnel and resources to make access to healthcare simpler and better for their citizens.   Dr. Nsanzimana further said that strategising on the scaling up of digital technologies and emphasising their use would promote real time monitoring of disease outbreaks and responses. The Minister observed that the Covid-19 pandemic had exposed African countries’ vulnerabilities and gaps in their healthcare systems, adding that there was a need for experts in the health sector to be more innovative, work faster and smarter in improving healthcare.  

Dr. Nsanzimana underscored the need for robust health systems and preparedness plans and the importance of scientific research and data in evidence-based decision making, in addition to the rapid development of diagnostic tests and vaccines.   Dr. Nsanzimana, who was speaking when he officially opened the 9th East African Health and Scientific Conference (9th EAHSC) at the Kigali Convention Centre in Kigali, Rwanda emphasised the importance of increasing the life expectancy of East Africans.   The Minister further urged EAC Partner States’ governments to implement the resolutions of the bi-annual health and scientific conferences in order to create better and stronger health systems in the region.

The Minister observed that the Covid-19 pandemic had exposed African countries’ vulnerabilities and gaps in their healthcare systems, adding that there was a need for experts in the health sector to be more innovative, work faster and smarter in improving healthcare.   Dr. Nsanzimana underscored the need for robust health systems and preparedness plans and the importance of scientific research and data in evidence-based decision making, in addition to the rapid development of diagnostic tests and vaccines.   Dr. Nsanzimana, who was speaking when he officially opened the 9th East African Health and Scientific Conference (9th EAHSC) at the Kigali Convention Centre in Kigali, Rwanda emphasised the importance of increasing the life expectancy of East Africans.  

The Minister further urged EAC Partner States’ governments to implement the resolutions of the bi-annual health and scientific conferences in order to create better and stronger health systems in the region. In his remarks, the Principal Secretary in the State Department of EAC, Kenya, Dr. Abdi Dubat Fidhow, disclosed that the Republic of Kenya has been implementing the research findings and recommendations of the previous scientific conferences, adding that the country fully committed to implementing the research findings and recommendations from this 9th Conference.  

On his part, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the East African Health Research Commission, Dr. Novat Twungubumwe, said that the East African region is threatened both by Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases.   “We have a number of communicable diseases such as Tuberculosis, Malaria and HIV/AIDS are causing a heavy burden to EAC Citizens’ life and to our economies. Here we may also point out other preventable outbreaks including Cholera, Measles, Rift Valley Fever (RVF), Yellow Fever, among other ailments,” said Dr. Twungubumwe.   “In the past years, infectious diseases have been major concern in Africa. However, the attention now is slowly shifting toward non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are on the rise in many parts of Africa due to pollution, westernized diets, reduced physical activity levels, urbanization, and increased tobacco and alcohol consumption, to name a few.

Currently, in East Africa, 40% of all deaths are attributable to NCDs,” said the Deputy Executive Secretary.   “We can mention the five major Non-Communicable Diseases that are trying to find their home in our EAC Citizens’ households which are: cardiovascular diseases, cancers, respiratory diseases, mental illness and diabetes, other non-communicable conditions like sickle cell disease, injuries and disabilities which are highly prevalent in East Africa,” he added.   Also present was Burundi’s EAC Affairs PS, Mr. Severin Mbarubukeye, the Under Secretary in the Ministry of Health, South Sudan, Dr. Adier Machar Achiek, and Mr. Zachee Iyakayemre, the PS in Rwanda’s Ministry of Health.  

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