East Africa calls for stronger health systems

East African health leaders are calling for stronger regional health systems and expanded local production of medicines and medical supplies while urging deeper international cooperation, investment and technology partnerships to make the region more resilient to future health emergencies.

The call came at the opening of the 13th East Africa Healthcare Federation Conference and International Exhibition in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, on Friday, where government officials, health-sector leaders and private-sector representatives discussed ways to build a more resilient East African health economy.

Workneh Gebeyehu, executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a regional bloc that includes eight eastern African countries, said stronger regional integration would help countries overcome the limitations of individual markets and create greater opportunities for investment in healthcare.

He said harmonizing regulatory frameworks and cross-border standards would allow local manufacturing to expand across the region, while financing mechanisms could help mobilize domestic resources and investment from capital markets.

Gebeyehu said resilience would require investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing, health infrastructure and digital health, alongside efforts to strengthen the health workforce and create a unified regional market.

But he stressed that strengthening local capacity should not come at the expense of international cooperation. "Sovereignty does not mean isolation. It means entering international partnerships from a position of industrial strength, structural capability, as well as self-resilience," he said.

Raji Tajudeen, deputy director-general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said recent health emergencies had demonstrated the importance of strengthening African and regional capacity while working with international partners.

He cited the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a reminder that infectious diseases do not respect national borders. The outbreak has also underscored the need for stronger surveillance, laboratory networks, emergency response systems and supply chains capable of delivering essential health products rapidly.

Building preparedness

"Preparedness is what we build before we see the first alarm," Tajudeen said, calling for countries to move away from a cycle of responding urgently during outbreaks and neglecting preparedness once they subside.

He urged East African countries to strengthen cross-border surveillance, laboratory networks and real-time data sharing, while developing regional mechanisms to rapidly deploy health workers and essential supplies during emergencies.

Local production was another major focus, with speakers arguing that stronger manufacturing capacity would complement, rather than replace, international partnerships.

Tajudeen said Africa currently produces only about 1 percent of the vaccines it needs, highlighting its vulnerability to disruptions in global supply chains during major health crises. He said African leaders have set a target of producing 60 percent of the continent's health products locally by 2040, alongside efforts to develop pooled procurement mechanisms.

Danny Mutembe, vice-president of the Rwanda Healthcare Federation, said African countries should make better use of their combined market while learning from one another and working with international partners.

He pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area as an opportunity to expand the continent's pharmaceutical market and encourage greater production and investment within Africa.

"We really have to make sure that we produce, but we also have to recognize what others in the continent produce," Mutembe said, stressing the importance of trust, regulatory standards and cooperation among African countries.

He also emphasized that Africa's efforts to strengthen its health systems should be complemented by international partnerships, including cooperation with China in healthcare development.

Emmanuel Galla Lado, managing director of Royal Care Pharmaceutical in South Sudan, said countries in the region were increasing efforts to expand domestic pharmaceutical production while continuing to engage international markets, citing developments in Ethiopia and Kenya.

Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh said regional cooperation should extend to sharing markets, recognizing standards, strengthening referral systems, preparing jointly for emergencies and developing the health workforce.

He announced that Ethiopia was ready to support establishing the continental headquarters of the African Healthcare Federation in Addis Ababa.

sharon@chinadailyafrica.com