The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in collaboration with East, Central, and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) today launched Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience Programme (HEPRR) to strengthen health system resilience and multisectoral preparedness and response to Health Emergencies in Eastern and Southern Africa.
The HEPRR programme which will take seven years will be implemented in the course of two to three phases is expected to drastically improve multisectoral preparedness and response to health emergencies in Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa.
The Program intends to finance activities on climate change adaptation and mitigation and infectious disease outbreaks, support access to quality health commodities, including building capacity for local vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing, training the health workforce on climate change emergency preparedness and response and Strengthening Quality Control/Assurance.
It will also help in Strengthening multisectoral and cross border emergency preparedness and response as it will finance infectious diseases surveillance and response and public health emergencies including climate sensitive diseases and climate shocks while focusing on the one health approach.
Speaking during the Launch of Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Resilience Project (HEPRR) for Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE), initiating Phase I of the Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) In Nairobi , Kenya’s Health cabinet Secretary (CS) Susan Nakhumicha emphasized the importance of strengthening regional health systems to effectively respond to emergencies and build resilience while stressing the critical role of preparedness in achieving promotive and preventive health objectives, highlighting the project’s alignment with these aims.
“Infectious diseases remain a serious health challenge across Africa and particularly Eastern and Southern Africa region. Frequent outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Marburg, Yellow Fever, and Chikungunya in recent years have continued to exert pressure on our health systems, The CS said adding that, “It’s not a matter of if, but when the next pandemic hits.” CS Nakhumicha emphasized the urgent need to bolster Africa health systems during her keynote speech at the HEPRR launch.
According East, Central, and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC), Director General, Prof Yoswa M Ndambisya, the world bank funded program will provide $1 billion in credit and grant financing, with $359 million provided under phase 1 which will cover Ethiopia, Kenya, Sao Tome and Principe, the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
He said the funding will take care of both regional and country specific needs with each country having its needs based on gaps analysis.
The investments will support emergency preparedness and will make it easier for countries to respond to emergencies and pandemics.
According to Kenya’s medical services principal secretary (PS) Harry Kimtai, the HEPRR funding Program will support development of an enabling legal and regulatory environment for vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing in Kenya.
He said that part of the funding will be used to build capacity of Pharmacy and Poisons board (PPB) human resource workforce and increase number of staff, support quality control laboratory to enable Kenya’s regulator PPB to achieve level 3 maturity status.
While, Kenya Biovax Institute Chief executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Michael Lusiola said that the funding will help bridge financing gaps which impeded operational of a local vaccine manufacturing facility and upgrading it to meet World Health Organization (WHO) manufacturing standards to enable Kenya produce fill and finish of human vaccines manufacturing facility at Biovax.
“Kenya will prioritize fill and finish manufacturing of immunization vaccines,” Dr Lusiola said.
