Afrigather The World Well being Group in partnership with the Ministry of Well being in Uganda, Africa Centres for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), the German Company for Worldwide Company (GIZ), and the East African Neighborhood has concluded a week-long scoping mission to tailor the nation’s capability to implement the flagship initiatives on Epidemic Preparedness and Response (ERP).
Bringing collectively a various group of well being consultants and stakeholders from the African area, the mission aimed to boost consciousness amongst authorities and significant stakeholders of EPR flagship initiatives, and to evaluate Uganda’s preparedness to reply to epidemics and public well being emergencies. It additionally recognized current assets, gaps, and priorities to tell the event of a two-year roadmap for well being safety.
“Uganda has made important strides in epidemic preparedness and emergency response, however there’s all the time room for enchancment. The Scoping Mission gives a chance to reinforce our capability and higher defend the well being of our individuals,” famous Hon. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, Minister of Well being in Uganda.
The initiatives are a part of the WHO regional Technique for Well being Safety and Emergencies 2022-2030, which goals to strengthen member states capacities to successfully put together, detect and reply to public well being emergencies by means of three flagship programmes. These are Selling the resilience of methods for emergencies (PROSE), Remodeling African Surveillance Programs (TASS), and Strengthening and Using Response Teams for Emergencies (SURGE).
“Strengthening epidemic preparedness and response is a part of our objective to assist the nation in enhancing its healthcare system to stop and tackle public well being emergencies extra successfully. The findings of this mission will information our collaborative efforts within the coming years”, stated Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, WHO Consultant to Uganda. He added that the price of constructing capability and getting ready for emergencies is way decrease than the price of emergency response particularly if the nation shouldn’t be properly ready.
The mission assessed the Ugandan healthcare system, well being laboratories, medical provide chain, and public well being infrastructure. It served as a platform to advocate for high-level funding in preparedness, detection, and response to public well being emergencies.
Based on the mission’s lead Dr. Alemu Wondimagegnehu, this scoping mission represents an important step in safeguarding the well being and well-being of the Ugandan inhabitants and strengthening the nation’s resilience to rising well being threats.
Dr. Alemu additional emphasised the significance of collaboration amongst all stakeholders concerned in epidemic response and inspired a coordinated strategy to make sure a swift and efficient response to future public well being occasions.
Transferring ahead, and based mostly on the outcomes of the evaluation, the mission will develop a set of suggestions that may inform a two-year roadmap informing actions tailor-made to Uganda’s particular must strengthen epidemic preparedness and emergency response and can contribute to the nation’s nationwide Motion Plan for Well being Safety.
