18 July 2024, Zanzibar, Tanzania – IOM, the International Organization for Migration is partnering with the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat to enhance cross-border health security and responses to disease outbreaks in East Africa. The partnership is crucial in addressing the negative impact of health security issues and disease outbreaks in border areas. The East Africa region which is home to over 300 million people has been affected by cross-border health security issues and disease outbreaks such as Cholera, Ebola, and the COVID-19 pandemic, over the last few years which have led to the complete breakdown of public health systems in some countries, or systems being completely overwhelmed and unable to cope, among other negative effects.

As part of efforts to address the issue, a workshop is being held on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar by IOM and the EAC to review and enhance awareness of cross border health issues and improve community engagement, known as RCCE (Risk Communication and Community Engagement). IOM has a mandate to promote safe, orderly and regular migration for the benefit of all. The EAC represents over 300 million citizens and is obligated to safeguard its Partner States on public health issues.

The workshop also aims to harmonize regional Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in 8 countries in East Africa, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia, in relation to streamlining RCCE. A set of RCCE standardized procedures covering critical areas like risk communication planning, community engagement methodologies, and cross-border information sharing, while also addressing gender disparities and promoting human rights in health interventions, will be produced by the end of the meeting.

It is hoped that such harmonized regional guidelines will support EAC Partner States in implementing best practices in community-based disease prevention and response at Points of Entry where there are significant numbers of people. Strengthening RCCE capacity is expected to build cross-collaboration and trust, address misinformation, and better protect the health of all people in the region, including migrants.

The workshop builds upon IOM's Health, Border and Mobility Management Framework and EAC's Strategic Roadmap for Health Programming at Points of Entry (POEs), which aims to strengthen cross-border health governance, leadership, and coordination.

"Effective RCCE approaches are essential for managing public health threats and ensuring safe cross-border mobility. By developing inclusive Risk Communication and Community Engagement Standard Operating Procedures, we can foster a more effective response to public health threats across borders in the region to protect the health and well-being of communities along the mobility continuum,” said Viviane Kuissi, IOM’s Regional Migration Health Specialist for the East, Horn and Southern of Africa region.

“The EAC is committed to having a robust Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) strategy to effectively manage and mitigate risks associated with public health emergencies and other crises,” said Dr. Eric Nzeyimana, EAC Principal Health Officer.

“There are many lessons to be learnt from COVID-19 and other recent disease outbreaks in our region, like Ebola and Marburg, and these will inform the development of our strategy, that will ultimately facilitate informed decision making to mitigate the effects of health threats,” he added.

The workshop is being supported by the IOM Development Fund. The collaboration with EAC Secretariat aims to strengthen regional health security and ensure safe mobility across borders. By developing harmonized regional RCCE standard procedures, IOM aims to improve early detection, management, and containment of public health threats, in the face of epidemic outbreaks that can overwhelm national health systems. This approach aligns with the goals of the African Union’s Migration Policy Framework for Africa (MPFA) and the East African Common Market Protocol to facilitate free, safe and orderly mobility, trade, and cooperation among EAC Partner States while prioritizing the health, well-being, and rights of migrants for sustainable migration management.

For more information, please contact:

Yvonne NDEGE
IOM Regional Media and Communications Officer and Spokesperson for the East and Horn, and Southern of Africa Region

Media and Communications Unit

IOM Regional Office for the East, Horn and Southern of Africa

Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254 797 735 977
Email: yndege@iom.int.

OR

Simon Peter Owaka
Senior Public Relations Officer
Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 768 552087
Email: sowaka@eachq.org

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the East African Community (EAC)

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organization composed of eight (8) Partner States: The Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, , the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania. EAC's mission is to widen and deepen economic, political, social, and cultural integration in order to improve the quality of life of the people of East Africa. www.eac.int

About IOM Migration Health

IOM’s Migration Health interventions in the East and Horn of Africa region focus on ensuring migrants have access to quality health services and promoting the well-being of mobile populations. Key areas of work include preventing and responding to communicable diseases, supporting mental health and psychosocial assistance, addressing sexual and reproductive health needs, and enhancing preparedness and response to health emergencies and humanitarian crises involving migrants. IOM collaborates with governments, civil society, and other partners to integrate migration health considerations into national health systems and policies, strengthen cross-border health cooperation, and build the capacity of health actors to provide migrant-inclusive services. eastandhornofafrica.iom.int