With Sudan’s Participation, Ministers and Health Officials in East Africa Develop Plans to Control the Spread of Epidemics
Kampala – Sudanhorizon
Ministers and health officials from East African countries, with the participation of a representative from the Sudanese Ministry of Health, stressed the importance of coordination, synergy, capacity building, and cross-border integration to prevent the spread of epidemics from one country to another, working collectively under the umbrella of IGAD.
Yesterday (Friday), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) launched the Preparedness Campaign against epidemics and pandemics, under the name “PREPARE,” which aims to strengthen epidemic prevention and response, enhance regional health security, and address threats such as the Mpox virus and the Marburg virus in IGAD countries.
The project was officially inaugurated in the Ugandan capital Kampala, where Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, the IGAD Executive Secretary and Chair of the Coordination Platform for Regional Economic Communities (RECs) under the African Union, handed over epidemic preparedness supplies and equipment to the Ministry of Health of Uganda, marking the launch of the project in the IGAD region. The event took place alongside the opening of the regional health ministers’ meeting.
In a statement published on IGAD’s official X platform, the Executive Secretary said the project represents “a new milestone in IGAD’s four-decade journey, during which it has stood side by side with its member states in times of need.” He emphasized that by formally delivering these critical preparedness supplies and equipment, IGAD reaffirms the collective commitment that has characterized it since its establishment in 1986—born out of the devastating droughts of 1983–1984 that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
Gebeyehu highlighted that IGAD is built on the principle that regional solidarity and collective action are its greatest weapons in times of adversity. Since its foundation, IGAD has consistently proven that when disaster strikes one country, all are affected; and when one member state builds resilience, the entire region becomes safer. This philosophy, he said, has guided IGAD’s response to countless crises over the past 39 years—ranging from recurring droughts and floods to conflicts and disease outbreaks.
In their final communiqué following the Second Ministerial Meeting on Health under IGAD—a one-day event held on 29 August 2025 in Kampala, Uganda—East African health ministers endorsed strengthening epidemic preparedness through a One Health approach.
The communiqué noted that the official launch of the PREPARE project took place within the framework of discussions on comprehensive strategies to enhance epidemic preparedness and response capacities across the IGAD region. It stressed that epidemics have imposed unprecedented social and economic burdens on Africa, with COVID-19 alone causing a 3.4% contraction in GDP in 2020 and disrupting more than 70% of essential health services across Sub-Saharan Africa. IGAD countries, in particular, faced disproportionate negative impacts due to pre-existing structural vulnerabilities and extensive cross-border population movement.
The statement recalled the historic declaration adopted at the IGAD Summit of Heads of State and Government on 30 March 2020, which established a comprehensive regional response strategy to COVID-19, underscoring the critical importance of cross-border health initiatives in strengthening preparedness and response mechanisms.
Guided by the One Health principles endorsed by the High-Level Expert Panel on One Health (OHHLEP) and formally adopted by the Quadripartite alliance—WHO, FAO, WOAH, and UNEP—the ministers reaffirmed the need for an integrated approach that sustainably balances and improves the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems.
The communiqué expressed grave concern over the continued and growing threat of infectious disease outbreaks, including the recent Mpox outbreak first confirmed on 24 July 2024 in Kasese, Uganda, which later spread to Kenya by July 2024 and to South Sudan in February 2025—demonstrating the high risk of cross-border disease transmission in the interconnected IGAD region. It also highlighted scientific evidence showing that nearly 75% of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic in origin, with extensive cross-border movement of populations, livestock, wildlife, and trade goods posing both major challenges and unique opportunities for comprehensive disease prevention and control.
The statement conveyed IGAD’s appreciation for the critical role of the Pandemic Fund in supporting global health security, noting that Africa received nearly 40% of its initial funding allocations specifically dedicated to strengthening epidemic preparedness across the region.
The ministers formally committed their governments and institutions to:
Strengthening cross-border surveillance and early warning systems with fully functional mechanisms in border areas, including standardized diagnostics and training protocols.
Enhancing community-based surveillance infrastructure and developing unified digital platforms for One Health data repositories, integrated with advanced emergency response capacities.
Deploying specialized cross-border surveillance and response teams with sustained support for coordination, consultation, and regular collaborative initiatives between member states.
Designing and adopting gender-responsive epidemic preparedness and response plans, and reinforcing laboratory capacities in border areas for rapid confirmation and characterization of potential epidemics.
Conducting comprehensive stakeholder assessments and supporting diagnostic and information systems capacity development.
Establishing robust border laboratory networks equipped with advanced information management systems.
Implementing a regional biosafety and biosecurity strategy with detailed implementation guidelines and sustained support for adaptation in member states.
Building and strengthening cross-border regional health workforces to effectively prepare for and respond to public health emergencies, with inclusive engagement of local communities and vulnerable populations.
Creating and activating a regional One Health coordination platform dedicated to epidemic preparedness and response, ensuring broad stakeholder participation and advocacy for evidence-based, sustainable epidemic preparedness.
The ministers also committed to supporting national One Health platforms, with a strong emphasis on enhancing cross-border collaboration and institutionalizing epidemic preparedness coordination through permanent mechanisms, standardized operating procedures, and real-time data-sharing capacities.
Participants in the meeting included:
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Acero, Minister of Health, Republic of Uganda
Sarah Cleto Hassan Rial, Minister of Health, Republic of South Sudan
Dr. Maryan Mohamed Hussein, State Minister for Health and Human Services, Federal Republic of Somalia
Ms. Mary Muthoni Muriuki, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Public Health and Professional Standards, Republic of Kenya
Mr. Mohamed Ali Mohamed, Secretary-General, Ministry of Health, Republic of Djibouti
Mr. Fadul Mohamed Mahmoud Mohamed, Director-General of Health Emergencies and Epidemic Control, representing the Minister of Health of Sudan
Dr. Charles Businge, Regional Director for Africa, IFRC
Dr. Robert Kwesiga, Secretary-General of the Uganda Red Cross
Dr. Kassonde Muinga, WHO Representative in Uganda
Also present were representatives of Ugandan civil society organizations in public health, senior officials from IGAD member states, and the IGAD Secretariat.
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