From the newsletter
Pharma companies are set to benefit from a larger market and more predictable regional demand after the launch of the first pandemic framework by the East African Community. The Regional Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Policy Framework reduces age long market and manufacturing fragmentation in eight countries.
The framework prioritises disease surveillance, pooled procurement, shared data systems, regional pharmaceutical manufacturing and resilient supply chains. Through this, it provides clearer pathways for pharma companies to scale.
National regulatory frameworks slow local pharmaceutical production by raising manufacturing and compliance costs and limiting access to quality and safe medicines across the region.
More details
The EAC framework establishes coordinated disease surveillance, pooled procurement, shared data and cross-border response across eight member states. Approved in May 2025 and launched in January 2026, it prioritises regional pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply chain resilience, creating clearer regional demand signals for healthcare businesses.
Past outbreaks, including COVID-19, Ebola, cholera and Mpox, exposed weaknesses in East African health systems. Surveys of pharmaceutical manufacturers in the region showed gaps in regulatory enforcement and poor adherence to quality standards. These slowed local production and restricted regional market integration.
The new framework aggregates demand across the region. It enables manufacturers to operate at scale beyond individual countries. Shared stockpiles and coordinated procurement reduce duplication and allow faster response to health threats. The framework also identifies border communities, refugees and vulnerable populations as priorities. This creates a more predictable demand structure for health products.
Regulatory harmonisation is a key focus in the framework. Standards for medicines registration, quality control, inspections and post-market surveillance are aligned across the region. This reduces administrative duplication and lowers compliance costs for manufacturers and distributors across borders.
The framework also strengthens digital and information infrastructure, including disease surveillance systems and laboratory networks. It positions pandemic preparedness as an economic priority. Governments and partners can plan sustained financing, while private companies have a clear basis for investment in manufacturing, diagnostics, logistics and regional health infrastructure.
Our take
Pandemic readiness combines public need with private opportunity: the better the systems, the bigger the market.
It has a business side to it that ensures both access to essential medical supplies and profits.