Kenya has been selected to host the East Africa Regional Centre of Excellence in Bioequivalence Studies and Pharmaceutical Research (EAC RCOEBPR), a groundbreaking development approved during the 25th Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health. Located at the University of Nairobi, this first-of-its-kind facility in both the East African Community and COMESA regions will focus on synthesizing pharmaceutical raw materials and conducting bioequivalence testing for generic medicines.
Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni described the Centre as a "game changer" that will bridge critical gaps in the pharmaceutical manufacturing value chain and ensure medicines within the EAC market meet global standards of quality, safety, and efficacy.
Simultaneously, the East African Community has launched Phase III of its Regional Network of Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases Project, securing €12 million in funding from the German Government through KfW Development Bank. This three-year initiative, running from July 2025 to July 2028, aims to bolster the region's capacity for pandemic prevention and response under the One Health approach.
Strengthening Regional Health Security Infrastructure
The EAC has been implementing the regional laboratory network project since 2017, facilitating responses to over 53 disease outbreaks including Ebola, Marburg, Rift Valley fever, Dengue, Measles/Rubella, and COVID-19. Phase I established a network of nine mobile laboratories for rapid detection of infectious diseases, while Phase II focused on strengthening laboratory surveillance of antimicrobial resistance.
The newly launched Phase III will expand these capabilities through four key components:
- Operationalizing an EAC Regional Centre of Excellence for Virology at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI)
- Upgrading the existing mobile laboratory network to support One Health operations
- Strengthening genomic surveillance capacities at national and regional levels
- Integrating the Democratic Republic of Congo into the established laboratory network and procuring eight new mobile laboratory units for animal health
Hon. Beatrice Askul Moe, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for EAC Affairs and Chairperson of the Council of Ministers, emphasized the importance of Partner States working jointly in disease prevention and control: "There is a need for rapid and accurate laboratory detection of outbreaks covering both human, animal and environmental factors under the One Health Approach."
Impact on Regional Trade and Public Health
EAC Secretary General Veronica Nduva highlighted how the mobile laboratory project has strengthened the region's capability to accurately and rapidly identify known and novel pathogens.
"The concept of deployment of mobile laboratories at hotspots of outbreaks is to reduce the time from sample collection to result release. Timely test results provide guidance to physicians for proper patient management including accurate data for surveillance of emerging and re-emerging diseases," said Hon. Nduva.
She added that by enhancing the region's capacity for early detection of outbreaks, the project is contributing to easing the movement of people, which will boost trade between Partner States and foster implementation of the EAC Common Market.
German Support for Regional Health Initiatives
The German Government has been a key partner in these health security initiatives. Since 2016, Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), through KfW, has supported the establishment of 10 mobile labs across EAC Partner States with an investment of approximately €25 million.
Julia Kronberg, Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy to Tanzania, reaffirmed Germany's commitment: "Germany stands firmly alongside the East African Community in strengthening regional health security. In a time of shifting global health priorities, our commitment to multilateralism and strategic partnerships in advancing public health remains strong."
Beyond the mobile laboratory project, Germany also supports the EAC Support to Pandemic Preparedness (PanPrep) Project through GIZ, which has built critical capacities in risk and crisis communication, hygiene and sanitation, and rapid response to disease outbreaks.
Future Directions
Looking ahead, the EAC Secretariat plans to broaden its support to Partner States by strengthening subnational laboratory capacities and enhancing regulatory preparedness, including through regional pooled procurement mechanisms. These efforts align with global health developments such as the recent consensus on a global Pandemic Agreement.
Together, the Regional Drug Research Hub in Kenya and the expanded laboratory network position the EAC to lead in health innovation, pharmaceutical development, and pandemic preparedness across Africa, creating a more resilient and self-reliant healthcare ecosystem in the region.
