By Michelle Ndaga
The Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Ms. Mary Muthoni, today presided over the conclusion of a two-day engagement workshop between Kenya’s Ministry of Health and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), aimed at operationalizing the Eastern Africa Regional Collaborating Centre.
Hosted by Kenya, the Centre is set to become a vital hub for regional cooperation in disease surveillance, capacity building, and emergency response to public health threats across Eastern Africa.
In her remarks, Ms. Muthoni reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Africa CDC. She emphasized that no single country can achieve health security in isolation, adding that the Centre will play a key role in bolstering the region’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging health challenges.
“This collaboration is a crucial step toward securing our region’s health future,” she stated.
The workshop brought together senior officials including Dr. Mazyanga Lucy, Director of the Eastern Africa Regional Collaborating Centre; Kirinyaga County CECM for Health, George Karoki; and representatives from the Ministry of Health, Africa CDC, and other government institutions.
The MoU, once finalized, will provide a structured framework to implement agreed-upon priorities and enhance regional health systems resilience.
