EAC : Germany Contributes 40 Million Euros for the Health in the EAC

The Federal Republic of Germany, KfW Development Bank and the East African Community (EAC) today signed Financing Agreement of 40 million euros in total, to support regional immunization programme and establishment and operations of the Regional Laboratory Network for Communicable Diseases.

The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko signed on behalf of the Community while His Excellency Egon Kochanke, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Republic of Tanzania and also accredited to the East African Community initialled on behalf the Germany Government and Dr. Helmut Schon, on behalf of KfW.

Secretary General of the EAC, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko and Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany His Excellency Egon Kochanke signs the agreement as Ms Lena Thiede, Counsellor / Head of Regional Cooperation at the German Embassy in Dar es Salaam; Director of KfW Development Bank Dr. Helmut Schon and EAC Deputy Secretary General (Productive and Social Sector) Hon Bazivamo looks on.

· 30 million euros in financial assistance will be invested in Immunization programmes in the EAC in collaboration with GAVI

· Another 10 million euros in financial assistance will be used in the operation of the Regional Laboratory Network for Communicable Diseases consisting of mobile laboratory units located at national reference laboratories.

This new commitment will bring Germany’s contribution to fight child mortality through immunisation programmes to 90 million euros since 2013. So far about 50 million of Rota Virus Vaccines, Pneumococcal Vaccines and Pentavalent Vaccines have been financed in the EAC Partner States. Implicitly, an equal number of children have been vaccinated against the biggest killers of children, namely diarrhea and pneumonia.

The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko having a chat with His Excellency Egon Kochanke, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Republic of Tanzania and Accredited to the EAC.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, thanked the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for its support to the EAC. ‘’We have truly benefited from the German support which has catalysed other development Partners to support our projects and programmes.

Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko underscored the assistance for the health sector in the EAC reaffirms Germany’s status as a true friend of the people of East Africa.

H.E. Egon Kochanke, Ambassador said: “The new commitments underline that Germany continues to be a strong partner for the EAC, contributing to an integration process that puts the people in the centre”.

Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko and Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany pose for a picture after initialled Financing Agreement.

On his part, the Director of KfW Development Bank, Dar es Salaam Office, Dr. Helmut Schon said ‘’the support from KfW underlines the importance we give to the East African Community’’ a regional approach under the EAC coordination makes very much sense to address communicable diseases.

Accompanying Amb. Kochanke was Ms Lena Thiede, Counsellor/Head of Regional Cooperation at the German Embassy in Dar es Salaam, and Director of KfW Development Bank, Dr. Helmut Schon.

Others at the function were EAC Deputy Secretaries General (Finance and Administration), Hon Jesca Eriyo; (Productive and Social Sector), Hon. Christophe Bavizamo and (Political Federation), Mr. Charles Njoroge.

GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private global health partnership committed to increasing access to immunisation in poor countries. GAVI brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, The World Bank, the vaccine industry in both industrialised and developing countries, research and technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private philanthropists.