Issue 1, November 2019

Magazine ISSUE 1, NOVEMBER 2019 Interview with the Permanent Secretary National Measles – Rubella and Polio Immunisation Campaign Contents 1. EDITOR’S NOTE 2. COVER STORY- TEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES ENDORSE CROSS-BORDER COLLABORATION FRAMEWORK ON EBOLA OUTBREAK PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE 3. UGANDA LAUNCHES NATIONAL MEASLES – RUBELLA AND POLIO IMMUNISATION CAMPAIGN 4. FIRST NATIONAL ANNUAL HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION CONFERENCE 5. NATIONAL MEDICAL STORES UNVEILS MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SYSTEM TO IMPROVE DRUG SUPPLY CHAIN 6. REGIONAL HOSPITAL FOR PAEDIATRIC SURGERY 7. MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND WHO TEAMS VISIT KASESE DISTRICT TO ASSESS EBOLA RESPONSE 8. EBOLA PREPAREDNESS: OVER TEN MILLION DOLLARS INVESTED TO KEEP UGANDA FREE FROM EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE 9. UGANDA COMMEMORATES SECOND NATIONAL DAY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY 10. MINISTRY OF HEALTH TO PARTNER WITH BUGANDA KINGDOM 11. BUGANDA KINGDOM HANDS OVER SICKLE CELL TEST KITS FROM THE KABAKA BIRTHDAY RUN 2019 12. UGANDA LAUNCHES NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND INJURIES COMMISSION 13. 100 DAY PLAN TO SCALE UP TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT AMONG PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS 14. INTERVIEW WITH PERMANENT SECRETARY (NEXT PAGE) 15. UGANDA HOSTS INAUGURAL AFRICAN HEPATITIS SUMMIT 16. US SECRETARY FOR HEALTH LAUDS UGANDA’S RESPONSE TO PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES 17. NATIONAL TOBACCO CONTROL COMMITTEE INAUGURATED 18. NEW INTERVENTION TO PROTECT MORE UGANDANS FROM MALARIA 19. NATIONAL DRUG AUTHORITY EMBARKS ON CONSTRUCTION OF QUALITY CONTROL LABORATROY TOWER 20. GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES HEALTH SECTOR INTEGRATED REFUGEE RESPONSE PLAN 2019-2022 21. PICTORIAL 22. SOCIAL MEDIA CORNER MINISTRY OF HEALTH 1 MINISTRY OF HEALTH TOP MANAGEMENT Hon. Joyce Moriku Hon. Sarah Opendi Hon. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Kaducu Minister of State for Health Minister for Health (General Duties) Minister of State for Health (Primary Health Care) Dr. Diana Atwine Dr. Henry Mwebesa Mr. Ssegawa R. Permanent Secretary Ag. Director General Gyagenda Health Services Under Secretary 2 MINISTRY OF HEALTH Editor’s Note Furthermore, in its pictorial Public Relations team, section, this magazine draws highly values feedback you into our key moments from its various followers as a sector. both on-line, offline and on social media. Since August 1st, 2018, As way appreciating the outbreak of Ebola feedback, this publication Virus Disease (EVD) in has captured some neighbouring Democratic comments on Facebook, Republic of Congo,the Twitter, Instagram and Ministry of Health has those channeled through been working with its our toll free line partners to keep the Ugandan population safe 0800-100-066 Emmanuel Ainebyoona from the deadly Ebola Senior Public Relations Officer virus. This publication, Best wishes. therefore, takes a sneak peek into some of the Emmanuel Ainebyoona, Dear Reader, Ebola preparedness Senior Public Relations activities undertaken by Officer, On behalf of the editorial team, we are the Ministry of Health pleased to bring to you highlights of to respond and prevent @ainbyoo –twitter activities and events that have shaped to several other public the health sector in the last one year. health emergencies. E-mail: This Magazine summarises the news emmanuel.ainebyoona@ events that shaped the Health sector The Ministry of Health health.go.ug in the previous financial year (2018/19) and part of the current FY (2019/20). In addition, this publication details Editorial Team some of the major achievements posted by Ministry of Health that are Abirahmi Kananathan Contributing Writer in line with its Vision of “Having a Communications Edmond Mwebembezi healthy and productive population Officer Public Information Officer, that contributes to socio-economic WHO growth and national development.” Jacob Ampeire Public Relations Graphics and Design As way of reaching every citizen, Officer the Ministry is collaborating with Anna Grace Apolot Mutebi cultural institutions such as Buganda Nansamba Odiirah Senior Graphics Designer Kingdom to amplify its messages to Kemerwa communities at the grassroot level Public Relations Photography where public health interventions are Officer still faced with challenges that include; Sam Nalwala poor health seeking behaviour, poor sanitation and hygiene. MINISTRY OF HEALTH 3 Ten African Countries Endorse Cross-Border Collaboration Framework on Ebola outbreak Preparedness and Response BY: World Health Organization, Uganda Ministers of Health, WHO Regional Director and African Union members at the meeting he Democratic Republic Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, “Resources are always limited, Tof the Congo (DRC) and its Uganda, United Republic of and there are always gaps nine neighbouring countries, Tanzania and Zambia – noted in emergency contingency during a meeting of ministers, with concern the Ebola outbreak plans. Setting up a mechanism senior health and immigration in north-eastern DRC, which has for cross-border collaboration officials and partners in Goma, continued for more than one and the sharing of assets will endorsed a joint framework year, and the increasing potential contribute to the mitigation to strengthen cross-border to spread into the neighbouring of suffering and minimize the collaboration on preparedness countries. They recognized the social and economic impact and response to Ebola virus shared threat that the outbreak of disease outbreaks,” said and other disease outbreaks. poses to health and economic H.E. Amira Elfadil Mohammed, Representatives of the 10 security in the subregion and African Union Commissioner countries – Angola, Burundi, other parts of Africa and the for Social Affairs. Central African Republic, need to develop an action plan In her opening address, Dr Republic of the Congo, the to mitigate the effects of these Matshidiso Moeti, World Democratic Republic of the threats. Health Organization (WHO) 4 MINISTRY OF HEALTH Regional Director for Africa, Control and Prevention (Africa where the meeting took place. emphasized that cross-border CDC). Participants reviewed the “Information sharing is collaboration will particularly situation of the outbreak in the improving, but we need to enhance information sharing DRC and level of preparedness bring it to an acceptable level. on disease outbreaks and by the 10 neighbouring We need countries to openly emergencies in line with the countries and discussed a road share information necessary legally binding International map for effective and sustained to save lives. Our mission Health Regulations (2005). collaboration. is to establish cross-border “In recent times, Ebola has collaboration that will cover been in the spotlight. Other “It is a good thing for the DRC all outbreaks and all public diseases also pose a significant to formalize a framework for health emergencies,” said Dr threat. These events highlight collaboration and adopt a Moeti. the immense importance of road map with its neighbouring cross-border collaboration countries on Ebola The ministers and senior to improve the sharing and preparedness and response. health and immigration exchange of information to In this way, we will be able to officials also endorsed quickly contain outbreaks, pull our resources together to the establishment of a harmonize resources, increase strengthen health security and coordination task force on EVD coordination and stop diseases safety,” and other disease outbreaks, from crossing the borders,” said which will be hosted in the Dr Moeti. said Dr Albert Biyombo, Vice African Union Commission The movement of people, Minister of Health in the DRC. headquarters in Addis Ababa. goods and services across Representatives of the Member The task force is expected to borders can heighten the risk States agreed to strengthen facilitate sustained political of transmission of infectious mechanisms for the exchange of commitment to preparedness pathogens that cause diseases, timely and accurate information and response to disease such as Ebola, cholera, measles on Ebola preparedness and outbreaks. Technical support and yellow fever. response and other health will be facilitated through “As the African Union advances security risks and noted that the WHO subregional Ebola towards implementation of withholding or falsifying partnership coordination Agenda 2063, which aspires information and data on Ebola platforms in collaboration for the political and economic violates the International Health with the Africa CDC and other integration of Africa, including Regulations and threatens partners. the free movement of people peace, security and prosperity across the continent, there will of the affected Member States Although this framework be a change. We need to be and the entire continent. does not contain any funding prepared for the risks that this commitment for emergency change poses to the continent. “We acknowledge the solidarity response and preparedness, A multi-country effort on that other African countries are WHO and the African Union/ Ebola outbreak response and showing today by organizing Africa CDC encourage preparedness will be a good this very important meeting. The countries to invest more in example of the use of our meeting will allow us to agree this area. Countries that have collective capabilities in this on communication mechanisms ramped up their preparedness regard,” said H.E. Mohammed. across borders on EVD and are better able to handle The ministerial meeting was co- a common action plan on emergencies, minimizing the organized by the Government of preparedness and response in social and economic costs of the DRC, WHO and the African

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