6 NATIONAL NEWS The New Vision, Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Plot 11 Yusuf Lule Road P. O. Box 28487 Kampala, Uganda Uganda lacks psychiatrists Road Works Update CAROLINE BATENGA By Lydia Lakwonyero TARMACKING OF and Simon Longoli KABALE-KISORO-BUNAGANA/ UGANDA has less than 100 clinical psychiatrists, KYANIKA ROAD (100KM) a health official has said. “At the lower levels The tarmacking of Kabale-Kisoro-Bunagana / where cases of mental ill- Kyanika road (100km) is progressing satisfac- ness are common, few psy- chiatric officials are quali- torily although the seasonal rains have recently fied,” said Dr. David set in and are already affecting the progress. Basangwa, the chairper- son of the Governing Kabale-Kisoro-Bunagana / Kyanika road is Council of Psychiatric Clinical Officers. located in the south western tip of Uganda in Basangwa was on Friday the districts of Kabale and Kisoro. It starts at speaking at the 1st gradua- Kabale town, connects to Kisoro town and tion ceremony of psychi- onwards to the border with the Democratic atric clinical officers at Butabika in Kampala. Republic of Congo at Bunagana (89km). At A total of 108 mental Kisoro town, a section (6km) connects it to the health workers received border with Rwanda at Kyanika, thus effec- diplomas. tively connecting to the road networks of both According to the health ministry, 30% of the popu- DRC and Rwanda. At the airstrip near Kisoro lation suffers from mental town, a Southern diversion (5km) will be con- illness. structed to avoid the road crossing the airstrip The School of as is currently the case. Psychiatric Clinical Some of the graduates at the Institute of Psychiatric Clinical Officers at Butabika Officers Butabika is the only one of its kind in The road is divided in three sections as follows: East Africa and currently limited the catchment come, it will be impossible The principal of the Kabale-Kisoro-Bunagana section - 89km has 34 students. area. to produce enough psychi- school, Hajat Museene Southern Diversion section at Kisoro Airstrip-5km Basangwa said low stu- “Even when we adver- atric officers for the entire Kisu, said they lacked dent enrollment was one tise, those who come find country.” resources to build Kisoro-Kyanika section - 6km of the causes of the inade- the remuneration poor. So Basangwa added that the more facilities and pay quacy. only those who are com- institute would partner staff. Apart from enhancing regional co-operation He said the institute only mitted are willing to join,” with Makerere University She said more class- in the Great Lakes Region, the upgrading of accepted students with Basangwa said. to offer its students degree rooms were needed, an training in psychiatric “We are planning to take courses and allow those office block, library, the road will also enhance the administrative nursing or other medical on students from Senior with diplomas to Internet facilities, dining and social coverage in the region. The road is related courses, which Six. Otherwise in years to upgrade. room and a kitchen. currently a gravel (murram) road and is to be upgraded to tarmac with a width of 9.0m including shoulders on each side. Increase taxes on cigarettes – minister

By Francis Kagolo of revenue for the Government. In the The organisation warns that the 2005/2006 financial year, the deaths will reach 10 million by 2030 if THE finance ministry has been asked Government increased taxes on ciga- countries do not take serious action. to increase taxes on cigarettes in the rette from sh19,000 ($10.63) to sh21,000 Nduhuura also urged the next financial year. ($11.75) per mille ( 1,000 cigarettes). Government to compel companies pro- Health state minister Dr. Richard Currently, a stick of cigarette costs ducing cigarettes to change the size Nduhuura said increasing taxes on between sh100 and sh250, but anti- and content of the health warnings tobacco was the most effective way to smoking activists say the price is too inscribed on packets to match the control smoking. low to discourage smoking. WHO framework Convention on Nduhuura was speaking at the opening “The best thing to do would be to ban Tobacco Control which Uganda rati- of a workshop on smoking at the Grand smoking entirely,” Nduhuura said. fied in 2007. Road works on Kabale-Kisoro are progressing well Imperial Hotel in Kampala recently. According to the World Health “We cannot continue offering lip He said high taxes would reduce the Organisation (WHO), tobacco smoking service,” he said. number of smokers and deaths that is the leading cause of cancer and “The message should be changed from Physical Progress accrue because of smoking. heart disease. It kills more than five ‘Tobacco can be harmful to your health’ Tobacco is among the leading sources million people globally each year. to ‘tobacco kills,” Nduhuura added. Approximately 40% of the work has been done. The project completion date is currently July 2010 but there is likely to be an extension of time due to various factors. Charcoal burning, increased Mulago awards best midwife Economic Interest agriculture depleting forests By Francis Kagolo month, yet we are not given Kabale-Kisoro-Bunagana / Kyanika road has lunch,” said Rose MULAGO Hospital has Nakayiza, the in-charge of generated employment and made considerable By Gerald Tenywa She said experts predict introduced monthly the maternity ward. economic impact on the project area. that if the current rate of awards for midwives. “A midwife can spend a CHARCOAL burning and emission of green-house The head of the obstet- day on duty without hav- expansion of land for agri- gases continues, the earth rics and gynaecology ing lunch, yet there are culture are depleting forests, would be about 1 degree department, Josephat several mothers to attend Road Safety environment state minister centigrade warmer by 2025 Byamugisha, said the to.” The drive time from Kabale to Kisoro has Jessica Eriyo has said. and 3 degrees by 2100. awards are intended to Several reports have Eriyo warned that the ram- Eriyo cited the negative motivate midwives to offer indicated that many new- already reduced by almost half. Motorists and pant felling of trees was caus- impact of rapid temperature quality services. born babies die at the hos- all road users are urged to take additional care ing prolonged droughts in the rise as reduction in biologi- The programme was ini- pital, a problem attributed semi-arid areas that cover cal diversity since habitats tiated and funded by the to the poor attitude of mid- as this road is a construction site. They should about 50% of the country. would become unsuitable for Midwives Empowered, a wives towards mothers in She was on Friday speak- some species of animals. local NGO run by Pastor labour. obey all safety measures put in place. ing at the UN World Other negative impacts Martin Ssempa of Presenting the award, Environment Day at Nazigo include wide-spread flood- Makerere University Byamugisha said: “We in Kayunga district. ing, higher temperatures Community Church. deliver between 60 and 80 The activities to commem- and prolonged droughts. Mary Grace Akao, 37, on mothers every day. Only For more information contact orate the day included tree In some parts of the coun- Friday won the inaugural a motivated team of planting, dance and drama. try, people are migrating award worth sh100,000 and midwives can handle UNRA Corporate “About 10 to 15 lorries of because of water shortages, a certificate. such a high number of charcoal leave Baale county she said. Mulago has one of the women.” Communications for Kampala everyday,yet no The minister said busiest maternity wards, Ssempa urged the trees are being planted to increased awareness of the with about 30,000 deliver- Government to invest [email protected] counter this high rate at negative impacts of climate ies every year. more in improving the which forests are being change would help address “We are only 62 midwives. welfare of midwives and depleted,” Eriyo said. the problem. We earn sh280,000 per health workers.