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Health structures in the EAC and how the link with the African Union Commission. DR. Michael J. Katende Principal HIV and AIDS Officer East African Community Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania. Background.
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Health structures in the EAC and how the link with the African Union Commission DR. Michael J. Katende Principal HIV and AIDS Officer East African Community Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania
Background • The Regional Economic Communities (RECs) are the pillars of the African Union (AU), and have been recognized by the AU as the key vehicles for economic integration and cooperation in Africa. • 2001 African Heads of State created the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), integrated development framework to enhance growth and reduce poverty in Africa by addressing key political, economic and social priorities in a coherent and balanced manner ca
Background • Adopted as the continent's premier development framework at a July 2001 summit meeting of African Heads of State and Government • In 2002, the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) held in Durban, South Africa declared the creation of the AU, decided that NEPAD would be implemented within the AU through the RECs
Background • Adopted by the AU Conference of African Ministers of Health (CAMH) in 2003, Inter alia, recommendations on a proposal to establish Health and Social Affairs Desks within the RECs • The 2003 Maputo Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government duly endorsed the Report of the Ministers and their recommendations
Purpose of health Desks in REC • harmonization of the health policies of member states within the REC; • improved co-ordination of health promotion activities; • better resource mobilization and utilization; and • better co-operation between the AU, RECs, Health Ministries of Member Sates, UN Agencies, NGOs and Civil Society Organizations on health issues.
Guiding principles • the social (or health) issue tackled that are transboundary in nature or require inter-country cooperation; • Facilitate the implementation of, or commitment to, international conventions and other regional and international instruments on health or social welfare and development; • promote the formulation of an African regional or sub-regional consensus at international forums; • facilitate inter-country exchange, and promote learning from best practices in the region or sub-region, through physical meetings or compiling best practice models, guidelines and standards;
Guiding principles • facilitate action by, and promote linkages or networking among, centers of excellence, including social (or health) development institutions, professionals and practitioners in the region or sub-region; • support the building of capacity for compiling evidence, regional indicators and trends; • REC, in undertaking interventions, should not duplicate (but should rather add value to) work already being done by other regional or sub-regional inter-governmental bodies or institutions
Health Strategy of NEPAD is to substantially reduce the burden of disease, with specific targets that are consistent with those of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and aimed at halting and beginning to reverse the spread of disease by 2015
EAC Regional Governance Structure for HIV and AIDS SUMMIT OF EAC HEADS OF STATE EAC COUNCIL OF MINISTERS LVFO Council of Ministers + EAC Sectoral Council of Edu, Sci, Culture and Sports (IUCEA ) + EAC Sectoral Council on LVBC EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health EAC MULTISECTORAL TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP ON HIV AND AIDS (NACCs + National Ministries + Institutions, etc) EAC ANNUAL STAKEHOLDERS FORUM ON HIV AND AIDS The EAC Joint Steering Committee on HIV and AIDS (the JSC) LVFO Secretariat + LVBC Secretariat + IUCEA Secretariat – Report to EAC SG EAC SECRETARIAT (EAC HIV AND AIDS UNIT) EAC PARTNER STATES’ NATIONAL HIV AND AIDS FOCAL POINTS (NATIONAL AIDS COMMISSIONS/COUNCILS)
linkages • Structures may exist but the linkage between AUC and EAC is weak and sporadic, not well defined may be regularized but at a much higher level of the Secretary General. • Linkage is through NEPAD Agency e.g • EAC Medicine Regulatory Harmonization project • East African Public Health Networking Project • Linkage through NEPAD is mainly project or programme based, depending on the existing funding and area of interest of the funding agency
Linkage with Partners • Partners Forum • engage Individual with the partners on thematic areas • Task force – transport corridors and the Cross border initiatives