Journal of Public Health in Africa (Jun 2023)
The East African Community mobile laboratory network prepares for monkeypox outbreaks
- Forian Gehre,
- Hakim Idris Lagu,
- Emmanuel Achol,
- Neema Omari,
- Grace Ochido,
- Kerstin Shand,
- Andrea Molina Alvarado,
- Gerd Ruge,
- Eric Kezakarayagwa,
- Francine Kabatesi,
- Théogene Ihorimbere,
- Anatole Nkeshimana,
- Abdi Roba,
- Millicent Nyakio Ndia,
- Susan Mahuro Githii,
- John Ndemi Kiiru,
- Donald Duku Samson,
- Gwokpan Awin Nykwec,
- Isaac Gatkuoth Chot Moun,
- Lul Lojok Deng,
- Maria Ezekiely Kelly,
- Peter Bernard Mtesigwa Mkama,
- Felician L. Msigwa,
- Alex Magesa,
- Godfrey Pimundu,
- Tonny Muyigi,
- Susan Ndidde Nabadda,
- Eric Nzeyimana,
- Juergen May,
- Muna Affara
Affiliations
- Forian Gehre
- Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; East African Community (EAC), Arusha
- Hakim Idris Lagu
- East African Community (EAC), Arusha
- Emmanuel Achol
- East African Community (EAC), Arusha
- Neema Omari
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; East African Community (EAC), Arusha
- Grace Ochido
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; East African Community (EAC), Arusha
- Kerstin Shand
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg
- Andrea Molina Alvarado
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg
- Gerd Ruge
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg
- Eric Kezakarayagwa
- National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Fight Against AIDS, Bujumbura
- Francine Kabatesi
- National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Fight Against AIDS, Bujumbura
- Théogene Ihorimbere
- National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Fight Against AIDS, Bujumbura
- Anatole Nkeshimana
- National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health and Fight Against AIDS, Bujumbura
- Abdi Roba
- National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health, Nairobi
- Millicent Nyakio Ndia
- National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health, Nairobi
- Susan Mahuro Githii
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg
- John Ndemi Kiiru
- National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health, Nairobi
- Donald Duku Samson
- Public Health Laboratory and National Blood Transfusion Centre, Ministry of Health, Juba
- Gwokpan Awin Nykwec
- Public Health Laboratory and National Blood Transfusion Centre, Ministry of Health, Juba
- Isaac Gatkuoth Chot Moun
- Public Health Laboratory and National Blood Transfusion Centre, Ministry of Health, Juba
- Lul Lojok Deng
- Public Health Laboratory and National Blood Transfusion Centre, Ministry of Health, Juba
- Maria Ezekiely Kelly
- Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dodoma; National Health Laboratory, Quality Assurance and Training Centre, Dar es Salaam
- Peter Bernard Mtesigwa Mkama
- Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dodoma; National Health Laboratory, Quality Assurance and Training Centre, Dar es Salaam
- Felician L. Msigwa
- Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dodoma
- Alex Magesa
- Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dodoma
- Godfrey Pimundu
- National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS), Ministry of Health, Kampala
- Tonny Muyigi
- National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS), Ministry of Health, Kampala
- Susan Ndidde Nabadda
- National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS), Ministry of Health, Kampala
- Eric Nzeyimana
- East African Community (EAC), Arusha
- Juergen May
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg; Tropical Medicine II, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg
- Muna Affara
- Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany; East African Community (EAC), Arusha
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2023.2309
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 14,
no. 6
Abstract
In response to the largest recorded monkeypox virus outbreak outside of endemic Central and Western Africa, the East African Community (EAC), in cooperation with the Bernhard-Nocht- Institute for Tropical Medicine, coordinated an emergency monkeypox diagnostic training for the East African Region. As of June 2022, the Democratic Republic of Congo reported a steady increase of suspected monkeypox cases, increasing the risk of spill-over into the remaining six EAC Partner States. Within the existing EAC Mobile Laboratories project, laboratory experts of the National Public Health Laboratories of the remaining six EAC Partner States (Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan) participated in the workshop and were trained in the reception of suspect samples, DNA extraction and diagnosis using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The EAC region is now equipped with the tools to prepare and rapidly respond to any emerging monkeypox outbreak.
Keywords
