As the region continues to grapple with recurring outbreaks of highly infectious diseases such as Ebola, the East African Community (EAC) is stepping up efforts to ensure every Partner State has frontline health workers equipped with the capacity to detect, contain and clinically manage high-consequence infectious diseases such as Ebola.

As part of these efforts, the EAC, with support from the Government of Germany, has 120 doctors, nurses and other frontline health professionals from all eight EAC Partner States undergoing specialised training this week in Nairobi, Kenya, to strengthen their preparedness and response to high-consequence infectious disease outbreaks.

The training is being conducted under the Training in the East African Community for High-Consequence Infectious Diseases (tEACh) programme, an initiative between the EAC and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). This week's training is one of a series of tEACh training workshops, that will continue until November 2026.

The training, being held at the Aga Khan University Centre for Innovative Medical Education, Nairobi, is delivered by clinical experts from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (one of Europe’s leading university hospitals and medical research institutions), together with East African clinicians trained through the tEACh Training-of-Trainers programme, representatives of national Emergency Operations Centres and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The programme is designed to build specialised expertise within the region by equipping health professionals to manage high-consequence infectious diseases and train colleagues in their respective countries. 

It combines practical skills training with simulations covering case identification and isolation, infection prevention and control, safe use of personal protective equipment, sample collection, patient management and emergency response. 

Speaking during the training, EAC Ag. Director of Social Sectors, Dr. Dorcas Omukhulu, said the regional approach is essential to ensuring that Partner States can respond collectively when outbreaks occur.

“Through this regional training, the EAC is building a common pool of health professionals with the practical skills to detect, manage and contain outbreaks while strengthening the ability of Partner States to respond together when a public health emergency occurs.”

The EAC has also established a Mobile Laboratory Network of 10 laboratories across seven Partner States, providing rapid diagnostic capacity at strategic locations and points of entry. 

The laboratories include deployments in Beni, Busia, Nimule-Elegu, Kobero and Bwera, among other locations, and have supported responses to Ebola, Marburg, COVID-19 and Mpox. The EAC plans to expand the network from 10 to 34 mobile laboratories by the end of 2027.

The EAC estimates that approximately USD 45 million is required to effectively respond to Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks in the region and is calling on development partners and other stakeholders to support regional preparedness and response efforts.

Germany has committed an additional Euro 4.8 million to scale up the EAC’s Ebola preparedness and response efforts. The support will facilitate the training of 500 frontline health workers, community sensitisation for 15,000 people in eastern DRC, procurement of 20,000 sets of personal protective equipment and support for the registration of new Bundibugyo Ebola vaccines in EAC Partner States once approved by WHO.

GIZ Programme Manager for Support to Pandemic Preparedness in the EAC Region, Mr. Burkard Kömm, said the partnership is focused on ensuring that the region has the people, equipment and systems required to respond effectively.

“Effective response to a high-consequence infectious disease depends on trained people, the right equipment and systems that work across borders. Germany, through its cooperation with the EAC, is supporting the region to strengthen these capacities and ensure that the knowledge and skills developed through this programme remain within the region.”

On his part, Dr. Pius Mutuku, a Medical Epidemiologist at the Kenya National Public Health Institute and one of the participants, highlighted the value of the practical focus of the training in strengthening the readiness of frontline health workers.

“This training strengthens the practical skills and confidence we need to respond safely and effectively during an outbreak.”

Dr. Miriam Stegemann, Head of Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Stewardship at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, said the programme is designed not only to equip participants with practical skills, but also to enable them to share the knowledge gained with colleagues across the region.

The training is part of the EAC’s broader effort to build a sustainable pool of clinical experts and trainers for high-consequence infectious diseases across all Partner States, with activities continuing until November 2026.