East African Community deploys expert pool to combat Mpox outbreak
TANZANIA—The East African Community (EAC) has launched its Rapidly Deployable Expert (RDE) Pool to respond to an international public health emergency caused by a spreading outbreak of the Mpox virus in East Africa.
The DRC and Burundi are particularly affected by the outbreak, with the DRC reporting over 7,000 confirmed Mpox cases by October 2024, with nearly 40% of cases involving children under the age of 15.
To address these rising cases, the EAC Secretariat is mobilising regional emergency experts for three deployments over the next six months in collaboration with the German Epidemic Preparedness Team (SEEG).
The official flagging-off ceremony was led by EAC Secretary General Hon. Veronica Nduva and Marcus von Essen, Head of the East Africa Division at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Ambassadors from the DRC and Burundi and a representative from the RDE Pool also attended.
The upcoming deployments follow a formal request from the Provincial Ministry of Health in South Kivu, DRC, for SEEG’s support.
This request builds on SEEG’s initial mission in June 2024, which focused on infection prevention and control (IPC) measures to address Ebola and Mpox virus outbreaks.
This mission highlighted the significant need for IPC training and the urgent shortage of IPC supplies across regional healthcare facilities.
In response, RDE Pool experts will provide vital training on IPC, risk communication strategies, and laboratory diagnostics to equip health workers and communities with the tools to manage and contain the outbreak. A training-of-trainers approach will help scale up knowledge across health facilities.
Alongside these capacity-building efforts, the experts will also work to address critical shortages of medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE), ensuring that healthcare facilities and communities are adequately prepared.
The EAC region has long faced recurrent outbreaks of infectious diseases, including Ebola, Marburg, measles, avian flu, and COVID-19, which impact regional health, livelihoods, and economic stability.
Considering these challenges, the EAC established the RDE Pool in 2019 following approval by the 18th EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health.
The pool aims to deliver a timely and coordinated response to health crises, in line with International Health Regulations (IHR).
The Mpox outbreak, initially confined to eastern DRC, has since spread to other EAC Partner States, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
The recent Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda has intensified the demand for PPE, IPC resources, and laboratory testing capacity, highlighting the urgency of RDE Pool deployments.
Currently consisting of over 140 experts from EAC Partner States, the RDE Pool is set for further expansion to enhance regional response capabilities.
During the press briefing, Secretary General Hon. Veronica Nduva underscored that infectious diseases know no boundaries, with the region’s cross-border movements creating ideal conditions for disease spread.
“Our region’s constant flow of people and goods brings repeated challenges from infectious disease outbreaks, often originating from animals and spreading to humans,” she remarked.
“The ongoing Mpox and Marburg virus outbreaks not only strain our health systems but also impact regional economies and livelihoods.”
She further noted that the EAC has built strong preparedness and response capacities across Partner States through long-standing partnerships with Africa CDC, WHO, and the German government.
Mr. Marcus von Essen from BMZ praised the EAC’s efforts, highlighting the partnerships over 25 years of supporting the region’s economic integration, which necessitates the smooth movement of goods and people—while preventing disease spread.
Since 2016, BMZ, through KFW, has contributed approximately EUR 25 million to establish ten mobile laboratories in the EAC Partner States, enhancing diagnostic capacity during various crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent Ebola and Marburg outbreaks.
Current efforts also focus on strengthening Mpox and Marburg testing capacities through mobile labs and diagnostic kits.
BMZ, through GIZ, has also supported regional risk and crisis communication initiatives and established 43 Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities at critical border locations.
These initiatives include community health education programs for travellers and EAC citizens.
Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE
Be the first to leave a comment