Kenya has been selected to host the East Africa Regional Centre of Excellence in Bioequivalence Studies and Pharmaceutical Research (EAC RCOEBPR), marking a major step in the region’s pursuit of pharmaceutical self-reliance and public health resilience.
Approved during the 25th Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health, the Centre will be located at the University of Nairobi and will be the first of its kind in both the East African Community (EAC) and COMESA regions. It will focus on synthesizing pharmaceutical raw materials and conducting bioequivalence testing for generic medicines.
Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, speaking during the meeting, described the Centre as a “game changer” in bridging critical gaps in the pharmaceutical manufacturing value chain and ensuring that medicines within the EAC market meet global standards of quality, safety, and efficacy.
Alongside this development, the EAC also launched Phase III of its flagship health security initiative, the Regional Network of Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases Project. The project aims to bolster the region’s capacity for pandemic prevention and response under the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health strategies.
Funded by the German Government through KfW, this three-year initiative (July 2025 – July 2028) will strengthen laboratory networks and enhance early detection and containment of diseases with epidemic or pandemic potential. The EAC has responded to over 53 outbreaks since 2017 through earlier phases of the project, including Ebola, Marburg, Covid-19, and Dengue.
Phase III includes the operationalization of a Regional Centre of Excellence for Virology at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), upgrading existing mobile laboratories to support One Health operations, and strengthening genomic surveillance. It also involves integrating the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into the mobile lab network and procuring eight new mobile laboratories for animal health.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for EAC Affairs and Chairperson of the Council of Ministers, Beatrice Askul Moe, emphasized the need for Partner States to collaborate in disease prevention and control, citing the importance of rapid and accurate detection in safeguarding public health and boosting regional trade.
EAC Secretary General Veronica Nduva praised the mobile labs project for improving real-time disease detection and response, noting that timely diagnostics are essential for effective outbreak management and informed public health decisions.
German Embassy representative Julia Kronberg reaffirmed Germany’s long-term commitment to supporting regional health security through partnerships like the PanPrep Project, which has strengthened crisis communication, hygiene, and rapid response systems across the region.
Looking ahead, the EAC Secretariat plans to expand its support to Partner States by enhancing subnational laboratory capacities, regulatory preparedness, and exploring regional pooled procurement mechanisms, aligning with global efforts such as the recent Pandemic Agreement consensus.
Together, these initiatives position the EAC to lead in health innovation, pharmaceutical development, and pandemic preparedness across Africa.
Written By Rodney Mbua.
