Makame calls for dedicated national budget allocations to sustain specialist training, medical research and healthcare delivery across East Africa
Arusha, Tanzania
The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has urged East African Community (EAC) Partner States to make dedicated, predictable financial contributions to regional health centres of excellence, warning that continued reliance on external donor funding could undermine their ability to serve East Africa.
The appeal is aimed at securing the long-term future of centres that train specialist health professionals, support medical research and provide advanced healthcare services for citizens across the region. EALA called on Partner States to include funding for the centres in their national budgets and to strengthen regional financing arrangements through the EAC.
Dr Abdulla Makame, Chairperson of EALA’s General Purpose Committee, said sustainable financing was essential if the centres were to fulfil their regional mandate and deliver the benefits of health integration to all Partner States.
Presenting the committee’s oversight report following a mission conducted from September 21 to 25, 2026, Dr Makame said the two centres represented strategic investments in East Africa’s shared health system. He said their success would help reduce dependence on overseas treatment, expand access to specialised care, strengthen local expertise and promote collaborative research across borders.
The centres assessed were the East African Regional Centre of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunization and Health Supply Chain Management, hosted by the University of Rwanda in Kigali, and the East African Community Centre of Excellence for Cardiovascular Sciences, hosted by the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
He explained that the centres were established to strengthen postgraduate education, specialised training, research, innovation and advanced healthcare services while enabling Partner States to share expertise and resources.
Rwanda centre trains thousands of health professionals
According to the report, the Kigali-based centre has enrolled 489 master's students, of whom 174 have graduated, and supported 10 doctoral candidates.
The centre has also trained more than 3,300 health professionals through short courses, contributing to the development of specialised skills across the region.
In research, the centre awarded 28 research grants worth €20,000 each and 20 student research grants worth €2,000 each. Its work has contributed to 284 peer-reviewed publications, 55 per cent of which were student-led.
The report also highlighted progress in the implementation of the EAC pooled procurement mechanism, which aims to improve access to medicines and other health commodities through coordinated regional purchasing arrangements.
Rwanda’s use of drones to deliver medicines and vaccines, particularly to hard-to-reach areas, was cited as an example of how technology can improve health supply chain efficiency and connect academic training with practical healthcare needs.
However, the committee identified financial sustainability as a major challenge, noting that the centre relies heavily on external project-based funding and lacks dedicated allocations from the EAC Secretariat and Partner States’ budgets.
The report also called for faster completion of infrastructure projects and stronger institutional support from Partner States to enable the centre to fulfil its expanding regional mandate.
JKCI strengthens access to specialised heart treatment
In Tanzania, the committee recognised the contribution of the cardiovascular sciences centre at MUHAS and the specialised services provided through the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI).
According to the report, more than 800 major heart surgeries have been performed locally, alongside more than 2,000 minimally invasive procedures carried out using specialised cardiac catheterisation laboratory facilities.
Dr Makame said committee members were impressed by the advanced medical equipment and technologies they observed during their visits, noting that such investments could strengthen the region’s capacity to provide specialised treatment locally.
He emphasised that Partner States should make greater use of the centres to train cardiovascular specialists, promote collaborative research and facilitate access to specialised medical services across national borders.
The committee further recommended strengthening referral systems, professional exchanges and research partnerships to ensure that the benefits of the centres extend to all EAC Partner States.
Committee calls for dedicated budgets and stronger oversight
The committee recommended that the EAC Council of Ministers establish predictable and sustainable financing for the regional centres of excellence, including dedicated contributions from Partner States, so they can continue operating as regional hubs for specialised healthcare, research and training.
It also called for stronger partnerships with reputable academic institutions, clinical research organisations and development partners, with their activities aligned with EAC priorities and long-term sustainability requirements.
The report emphasised the need for effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track expenditure, training outcomes, research performance, equipment functionality and the implementation of recommendations.
To promote equitable access, the committee proposed stronger arrangements to enable students and health professionals from all Partner States to benefit from training opportunities at the centres, including financial support where necessary.
It also recommended periodic follow-up oversight by the General Purpose Committee to assess implementation progress and determine whether the centres are developing into fully functional regional institutions.
Sustainable investment critical to regional health integration
In his concluding remarks, Dr Makame commended the governments of Rwanda and Tanzania, the relevant ministries, universities, healthcare institutions and development partners for their cooperation during the oversight mission.
He said the centres demonstrated the value of investing in health, science and technology to improve the well-being of East Africans.
However, he stressed that their long-term success would require more than external assistance, calling for stronger political commitment, predictable financing and sustained cooperation among Partner States.
The committee concluded that the two centres represent flagship investments in the EAC’s health integration agenda, with the potential to strengthen specialist healthcare, expand research capacity, reduce the need for overseas treatment and improve the availability of skilled health professionals throughout the region.
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