East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 27^th September, 2023: Health experts in the East African Community (EAC) Partner States have been urged to use new technologies to manage emerging diseases.

Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, said that digital technologies would enable Partner States to use limited personnel and resources to make access to healthcare simpler and better for their citizens.

Dr. Nsanzimana further said that strategising on the scaling up of digital technologies and emphasising their use would promote real time monitoring of disease outbreaks and responses.

Leverage in new technologies to tackle emerging diseases, EAC Partner States urged

Written on 27 September 2023. Posted in Health

Dr. Nsanzimana further said that strategising on the scaling up of digital technologies and emphasising their use would promote real time monitoring of disease outbreaks and responses.

The Minister observed that the Covid-19 pandemic had exposed African countries’ vulnerabilities and gaps in their healthcare systems, adding that there was a need for experts in the health sector to be more innovative, work faster and smarter in improving healthcare.

Dr. Nsanzimana underscored the need for robust health systems and preparedness plans and the importance of scientific research and data in evidence-based decision making, in addition to the rapid development of diagnostic tests and vaccines.

Dr. Nsanzimana, who was speaking when he officially opened the 9^th East African Health and Scientific Conference (9^th EAHSC) at the Kigali Convention Centre in Kigali, Rwanda emphasised the importance of increasing the life expectancy of East Africans.

The Minister further urged EAC Partner States’ governments to implement the resolutions of the bi-annual health and scientific conferences in order to create better and stronger health systems in the region.