East Africa steps up outbreak preparedness

As East Africa faces increasing threats from recurrent outbreaks of Ebola, Marburg and other infectious diseases, the East African Community, or EAC, on Wednesday launched a regional virology center in Uganda aimed at strengthening disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness across member states.

The Uganda Virus Research Institute, or UVRI, based in Entebbe, was designated as the EAC Regional Centre of Excellence in Virology, becoming a regional hub for advanced virus research, laboratory training, disease surveillance, diagnostics and knowledge sharing.

The launch came as countries in the region continue to contend with repeated public health emergencies that have exposed weaknesses in cross-border coordination, laboratory capacity and rapid response systems.

The urgency for stronger regional collaboration has been heightened by the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an EAC member.

Uganda's Minister of Health Chris Baryomunsi on Tuesday called for greater cooperation among African countries in addressing the continent's disease burden, noting that health threats transcend national borders.

"You cannot mop while you have a leaking roof," Baryomunsi said, referring to the Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo and reaffirming Uganda's commitment to supporting its neighbor in containing the virus.

He said UVRI's scientific expertise, infrastructure and strong track record have made it an attractive partner for international collaboration.

According to the eight-member EAC, the center will support member states in preventing, detecting and responding to emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, including Ebola and Marburg, through enhanced scientific collaboration and strengthened laboratory networks.

Commitment stressed

"The designation of UVRI as the EAC Regional Centre of Excellence in Virology reflects the community's commitment to strengthening regional health security through enhanced collaboration, scientific excellence and investment in resilient laboratory systems," said Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, EAC deputy secretary-general in charge of infrastructure, productive, social and political sectors.

"By investing in centers of excellence, we are building a stronger, more coordinated regional health system that can better prevent, detect and respond to disease outbreaks for the benefit of all East Africans," he said.

Public health experts have increasingly called for stronger regional surveillance systems following lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and recent outbreaks of Ebola, which highlighted the importance of early detection, information sharing and coordinated responses.

EAC said that as the regional center, UVRI is expected to play a key role in genomic surveillance, specialized laboratory training and research on emerging viruses, while serving as a reference institution for EAC partner states.

Ahead of the official launch, UVRI hosted a scientific symposium bringing together leading scientists, policymakers, public health experts and development partners to discuss emerging infectious diseases and strategies for strengthening regional preparedness and response.

The event also coincides with celebrations marking the institute's 90 years of scientific research and contribution to public health.

EAC states that since its establishment in 1936, UVRI has played a significant role in research and responses to major disease outbreaks, including Ebola, COVID-19 and other viral diseases, earning international recognition as one of Africa's leading virology institutions.