By KPC Reporter
The East African Community (EAC) has intensified its fight against Ebola and other infectious disease outbreaks after securing an additional €8 million in German support aimed at strengthening regional preparedness and emergency response systems.
The agreement, signed at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania on Friday, will strengthen the region’s capacity to respond to Mpox and other highly infectious diseases while enhancing laboratory services across Partner States.
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Germany also committed an additional €3 million to support ongoing Ebola response efforts, bringing the total support package to €8 million.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, EAC Secretary General Amb. Stephen P. Mbundi described Germany as a long-standing strategic partner whose support has played a vital role in strengthening regional institutions and improving the lives of East Africans.
“This support will go a long way in advancing regional coordination in response to current public health threats. This includes strengthening surveillance systems, enhancing laboratory capacity, and mobilizing technical expertise across Partner States,” said Amb. Mbundi.
The German delegation was led by the Chargé d’Affaires at the German Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Mr. Manuel Müller, who emphasized the importance of sustained investment in pandemic preparedness.
“German development cooperation has partnered with the EAC for many years in pandemic preparedness through early warning systems, training of medical professionals, and laboratory support. The expertise exists within EAC Partner States, and continued cross-border cooperation remains critical in preventing the spread of dangerous viruses,” Müller said.
As part of the partnership, the EAC flagged off an additional mobile laboratory funded by Germany.
The support has enabled the deployment of ten mobile laboratories across Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
The facilities provide rapid diagnostic services that facilitate early detection of diseases and timely containment of outbreaks.
The laboratories have previously played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, Uganda’s 2022 Ebola outbreak, Tanzania’s 2023 Marburg outbreak and the regional Mpox outbreak in 2024.
Germany also donated 500 sets of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to support frontline health workers involved in preparedness and response activities.
Amb. Mbundi noted that EAC Partner States continue to deploy technical experts to strategic border points and outbreak hotspots through the Rapidly Deployable Pool of Experts, a multidisciplinary network comprising more than 180 specialists operating under the One Health approach.
Healthcare workers and members of the expert pool are also set to undergo additional training in infection prevention and control, risk communication, community engagement, risk assessment and outbreak management.
The renewed partnership comes at a time when both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda continue to report cases of Ebola Virus Disease, underscoring the need for sustained vigilance and coordinated regional action against emerging public health threats.
