DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials from the East African Community (EAC) have urged member states of the regional bloc to leverage new technologies for managing emerging diseases, according to a statement released on Thursday.
These senior officials made the appeal during the 9th East African Health and Scientific Conference held on Wednesday in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.
Rwandan Minister of Health Sabin Nsanzimana said that digital technologies would enable EAC member states to efficiently utilize limited personnel and resources to simplify healthcare access for their citizens.
James Magode Ikuya, the Ugandan minister of state for EAC affairs, highlighted the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing for building stronger regional health systems. "Diseases don't respect boundaries, which underscores the need for strengthened cooperation among EAC member states."
Ikuya also pointed out the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, underling the necessity of working together as EAC member states to develop strategies for preventing, managing and controlling disease outbreaks and epidemics.
The EAC member states include Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda.
