Directors of health services of the East African Community (EAC) partner states armed forces are meeting in Kigali to further fortify joint efforts in thwarting health threats that would not only affect military personnel, but also the regional population.

Dr Brig. Gen. Denis Janga, of the Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF), who is chairing the two-day meeting in Kigali, told reporters yesterday that the five partner states’ armies are ever ready to stand together with other regional health sector players to thwart the likelihood of epidemics.

Janga said, "We meet twice every year to plan together and so far, there is no health disaster affecting the Community, but if it so happened, we would be ready.”

"All epidemics which would be threats to any one country are our concern. We put emphasis on surveillance of all possible threats. When it comes to the Zika virus, for example, we are looking at all ways possible. Is it there?

The world is concerned, and we too are concerned especially since we know there were cases in Uganda and Tanzania in the past.”

Meetings of chiefs or directors of health services of EAC partner states armed forces are regularly convened in accordance with Article 2 of the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in defense.

The latest session fits into the region’s defence sector January-June calendar of activities.

In the past, after realising the risk posed by HIV/AIDS and other health threats to partner states’ armies, the sectoral council on cooperation in defence directed that regional armies initiate co-operation in health matters.

It is in this regard that an operational forum for the chiefs and directors of health services of EAC partner states armed forces was set up to draw strategies and measures to mitigate health threats to EAC armies.

During the September 2015 meeting held in Kampala, Uganda, Kenya and Uganda particularly made presentations on mental health and emerging health threats.

The Kampala meeting observed that, among others, medical support in peace support operations should be standardised and assistance from partner states sourced jointly.

Shared health facilities

Partner states have in the past identified areas, where they could have shared health facilities.

Uganda has, among others, indicated that its Mubende Rehabilitation Centre has the capability to be used for orthopedic appliances for causalities; and the Uganda Virus Research Institute was identified for disease surveillance possibilities.

While Rwanda is said to be developing a simulation centre at Rwanda Military Hospital to host a centre of excellence for medical training.

Tanzania identified three capabilities to be used by partner states, including a malaria research centre and a mobile medical care unit for support training.

Kenya also identified a communicable disease center; a rapid response unit for disaster management in the region; and training at the international peace support training centre (IPSTC).

Conflict-torn Burundi is not represented at the Kigali meeting but it, previously, identified five centres in its military zones for use as centres of excellence for fighting HIV/AIDS in the military.

Explaining Burundi’s absence, Janga said the former had communicated earlier "and we accepted” so there was no problem as they would be informed of the outcomes.

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