The Humanitarian A Uganda Red Cross Society quarterly publication April-June 2010 A URCS volunteer demonstrating to communities of Kapelebyong, Amuria District how to properly hang a mosquito net EDITORIAL In this Issue A Word from Editor 19,800 to access safe water t is now half of the year for the affected communities to vacate Page 5 for the Uganda Red Cross to safer zones. Society (URCS) activity implementation. Good news As more disasters surface in the that a lot has been achieved in country, there is need for more disaster Ithese six months. risk reduction interventions. The Red We now share with you some of the Cross and Red Crescent worldwide activities URCS has implemented this year celebrated the International between the period of April-June 2010. Red Cross & Red Crescent Day in commemoration of the late Henry More landslides in Mbale We are all aware that Malaria is the Dunant. In Uganda, the theme of number one killer disease not only Page 10 the celebrations was “Strengthening in Uganda but all over the world. Risk Reduction in communities.” The According to the World Health main celebrations took place in URCS Organisation and Ministry of Health Mbale Branch. statistics, 340 Ugandans die everyday as a result of malaria. To avoid such In addition, the URCS launched scenarios, health experts recommend a disaster risk reduction project the use of treated mosquito nets. The in Katakwi and Amuria aimed at Uganda Red Cross Society has over reducing the risk of disasters by a decade supported government’s sensitizing communities about the efforts to fight the disease. And to this, Youth in Apac receive farm possible dangers, supporting them to URCS continues to distribute treated form disaster risk reduction groups. inputs Page 21 mosquito nets to the vulnerable groups; children below 5 years, You will also read about the first ever expectant mothers and the elderly. humanitarian chat organized by URCS The recent exercise was conducted in for Uganda Members of Parliament. Kapelebyong Sub County in Amuria The chat focused on three key issues: district. Amendment of the Red Cross Act, Tax exemption and zero rating on In this issue, you will read about the cholera outbreak in Moroto and how humanitarian supplies, approval of the disaster management policy. OUR MISSION URCS has intervened through hygiene promotion campaigns and awareness To improve the quality of messages to reach 145, 000 people. It The Humanitarian basically highlights life of the most vulnerable a few humanitarian needs URCS people in Uganda as an is hoped through the interventions, effective and efficient people’s lives will be saved. responds to. More information about humanitarian organization our activities can be accessed on our On another sad note, our brothers website www.redcrossug.org and sisters in the districts of Mbale, Sironko, Tororo, Rukungiri faced yet Enjoy this issue. For any feedback, another disaster of landslides and please contact or email sgurcs@ OUR VISION disasters. With the increasing rains in redcrossug.org, cntabadde@ the two regions, the only solution is redcrossug.org An empowered, healthy and self-sustaining community Editor: Catherine Ntabadde that responds to the needs of the most vulnerable Articles & Photography: Hasifa Kabejja, Catherine Ntabadde, Jacqueline Zawedde, Juliet Nyakojjo, Mawa Alatawa, William Male, Geofrey Omara. The Humanitarian-April-June 2010 1 SECRETARY GENERAL Message from the Secretary General The Secretary General (c) at one of the URCS functions, looking on are Hannington Segirinya, Chairman National Youth Council (l) and URCS Board Chairman Tom Buruku (R) ur second quarter came with outbreak of diseases which the conveyer belt but the assistance has been eventful. we have been able to contain with the was yours. We rolled out on our Ministry of Health and various district regular programmes health authorities. This gesture should be encouraged O and to all those that contributed in on the one hand and Owe were there to address the needs of While we focused on community one way or the other, URCS extends every disaster that befell Ugandans. disaster risk reduction, we were called its gratitude. This spirit is now being Our aspirations remained the same into action in Eastern and Western nurtured and it should be encouraged and the spirits high. Uganda addressing landslides and to grow. floods especially those that killed over The Uganda Red Cross Society 350 people in Bududa district. We I also wish to thank all our volunteers, (URCS) continued to with the process continued providing relief to those members and staff for the tireless of achieving planned targets for its camped in Bulucheke and provided effort put in. Please keep it up as regular programs for the year 2010. As assistance to all other households we strive to serve and improve the you will read on, we were very active in that were affected in Eastern and quality of life of the vulnerable the health sector with our programmes Western Uganda. people in Uganda. in Blood Donor Recruitment, First aid, Road Safety and Emergency The support came from everywhere; Health, HIV/AIDs/TB, Malaria government, corporate bodies, devel- control, Water and Sanitation as well opment partners, individuals and civil Michael Richard Nataka as Reproductive Health. The rains society organizations. While we were SECRETARY GENERAL 2 The Humanitarian-April-June 2010 HEALTH AND CARE DEPARTMENT *The department’s objective is to improve the health status of vulnerable and affected communities by reducing morbidity and mortality arising from common diseases and health emergencies. Amuria Sub branch Expectant mothers, children below 5 years receive mosquito nets BY CATHERINE NTABADDE mosquito net can save distribution of mosquito nets is part a mother and unborn of URCS prevention and home care child. With the increasing HIV/AIDs project supported by Amalaria incidences in Danish Red Cross. the country, the rural Acommunities are incapacitated to Kjoerup said she was happy that afford a mosquito net due to the Danish Red Cross is supporting the poverty levels. This means they will 2 year programme. spend more money treating Uganda’s Nataka said “We are proud to number one killer disease. have continued to support this For the people of Kapelebyong Sub area especially that the region has County in Amuria district, Eastern experienced a number of problems.” Uganda, this wont be the case as the He appealed to the beneficiaries Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) has to use the nets and sleep under them to avoid contracting malaria. provided free long lasting insecticide URCS Deputy Secretary General Dr. Bildard Baguma Nataka said URCS volunteers will handing over mosquito nets to some of the treated nets. The beneficiaries are beneficiaries in Kapelebyong mainly pregnant women, children be moving house-house to educate below 5 years and female headed those that may be ignorant on how Obigah called for continued households who are more vulnerable to hang the nets. partnership between the communities to malaria. At the distribution, a demonstration and URCS. The goal of the mosquito on how the net should be properly net distribution is to contribute Joy filled the beneficiaries as they to the National Malaria Control received the nets from URCS team hanged was conducted. Nataka hailed Danish Red Cross for its support Programme goal of controlling and that comprised of URCS board health preventing malaria morbidity and and care committee chairperson towards the project and the district for the continued partnership. mortality especially among pregnant Rose Obigah, Northern Eastern women and children under the age Representative on the board Martin Ocen told the gathering that URCS of five. The purpose of the project, Otuba, Secretary General Michael is known on ground for its work. He according to the Malaria Programme Richard Nataka, and Deputy Secretary narrated how the URCS has been a Officer Daniel Musoke is to increase General Dr. Bildard Baguma on May major player in times of need like the household long lasting insecticide net 7, 2010. 2007 floods, the Karamajong warriors. ownership in Kapelebyong County. He encouraged the beneficiaries to 11,000 mosquito nets were distributed URCS proposed intervention in the at the function graced by the Amuria become members of URCS Amuria branch. area will build on the lessons learnt LC 5 Chairman Julius Ocen. The of previous URCS net distribution distribution was made possible He also hailed URCS for its extensive experience to ensure greater success. by Danish Red Cross, the funders interventions towards landslides of the project. Danish Red Cross victims in Bududa. He appealed to Country Representative Charlotte the locals to provide support towards Catherine is the Senior Public Kjoerup attended the function. The URCS interventions. Relations Officer The Humanitarian-April-June 2010 3 HEALTH AND CARE DEPARTMENT Case Study: How Red Cross mosquito nets have changed lives in Eastern Uganda Malaria Interventions (Soroti Branch) Ado Jessy, listens to a Uganda Red Cross volunteer as he explains to her the importance of using long BY JULIET NYAKOJJO lasting insecticide treated nets. ugust 2009, Ado Jessy know how to use let alone hang them. of treated mosquito nets as the best of Omarai village , in Being illiterate, she could not read the malaria prevention strategy. AOriamo parish, Alwa sub information written on the flyer she ‘’Thank you very much Red Cross, county in Kaberamaido received during the distribution of you saved my children’s lives, you have district had the life of nets. helped me save my money, I have not Aher family members improved when Uganda Red Cross volunteers visited spent any money on treating malaria she received long lasting insecticide since the nets were put up’’ said happy treated mosquito nets. her home on one of the days during the house to house visits.