 has availed none mobile laboratories to the six member states that forms the regional bloc.){kind=link}
A health official testing samples of a suspected COVID-19 in Arusha Tanzania using one of the Mobile Laboratory Equipment. PHOTO| BurundiTimes
The East African Community (EAC) has availed none mobile laboratories to the six member states that forms the regional bloc.
The laboratories are equipped with modern kits, able to diagnose most pathogens causing communicable diseases such Ebola and Covid-19 according to the EAC Secretary General Libérat Mfumukeko.
This comes at a time when the regional bloc is battling the Coronavirus pandemic and Ebola in eastern DR Congo neighbouring Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda.
EAC opted to strengthen the health systems of member states, among out brought healthcare materials (mobile laboratory) were tests kits, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including gloves, masks, goggles, shoe protectors, and other consumables.
Moreover, Burundi got 1 lab, Kenya 2, Rwanda 1, Uganda 2, South Sudan 1 and Tanzania 2.
To curb both communicative diseases mainly the pandemic coronavirus, initiatives and strict measures were sorted out. Either throughout health ministers of respective countries or at the community level.
On March 25, 2020, health and ministers in charge of EAC affairs in a meeting, decided to restrict movements. They converged on applying multilayer mechanism to avoid smooth loopholes, instances of transit passengers. They deemed to facilitate free movements of goods and services. And abide strict verification if trucks outstepped 2 or 3 people on board.
In case screened at high risk of covid-19, the freight will be decontaminated, the crew boarded will be quarantined for 14 days.
The EAC office stepped athwart doing its part and the materials to be deployed in each member state, the community has extensively trained 18 lab technologists on the kits usage.
The labs are being deployed when the region combats the coronavirus. According to EAC statistics, the growth of contaminated is genuinely alarming. Up to this Thursday April 16, 2020 morning, KenyaCOVID-19 cases rose to 225, Rwanda 136, whereas Tanzania jumped to 88 and Uganda to 55. Burundi stagnated on 5 confirmed cases and South Sudan stands at 4.