East Africa NCD Alliance is widening its partnership spectrum by exploring multisectoral and inclusive partnerships with organisations committed to fighting NCDs at the national, regional and global levels.

East Africa NCD Alliance has created a desk on NCDs at the East Africa Community (EAC) Secretariat in the Health Department. The EAC is an intergovernmental organization of the Republic of Burundi, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania and Republic of Uganda aligned to Article 118 of the Treaty for the establishment of the East African Community that calls for regional cooperation in health among the Partner States.

The desk on NCDs at the EAC Secretariat will be an active NCD centre point. This will include discussions on NCDs becoming a separate agenda item at EAC Heads of State Summit, engagements in numerous Technical Working Groups, meetings to advocate for the prioritisation of NCDs and the development of position papers to be discussed by the Council of Ministers of Health and other Ministerial Councils. 

East Africa NCD Alliance together with EAC is also developing a regional framework on prevention, management and control of NCDs. This will guide East Africa’s response to addressing NCDs for a five-year period. The document will incorporate key learnings from the strategies of the East Africa NCD Alliance member alliances of Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Zanzibar; inspired by and aligned with key policies and plans. The document is also expected to include critical stakeholders’ involvement and key operational priority interventions.

According to Caroline Akope Aisu, the Programmes manager/Head Secretariat of NCD Alliance East Africa, a committee to oversee the smooth running of the task has been put in place, chaired by Dr. Michael Katende, a public health specialist and Coordinator of EAC Integrated Health Programme, Ag. Head of Department.