Kampala – World Well being Group (WHO) has supplied in-kind contributions of medical provides price 1,123,672 (equal to UGX 4.1 billion) to the Ministry of Well being to handle the well being penalties of the drought and meals insecurity affecting greater than 19 districts in Karamoja, Lango and Teso areas of Uganda.
The medical provides have been handed over to the Minister of Well being, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, on the Ministry’s headquarters in Wandegeya, by the WHO Incident Supervisor, Dr Charles Njuguna, on behalf of the WHO Consultant in Uganda, Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam.
The medical provides handed over embody medicine and diagnostic reagents for malaria, tuberculosis (TB), cholera, yellow fever, measles, meningitis and sexually transmitted infections, amongst others.
Dr Aceng expressed gratitude for WHO’s contribution to managing well being emergencies and enhancing public well being in Uganda.
“Past the Ebola outbreak, there are different well being emergencies that threaten the lives of our folks. I welcome WHO’s assist as it’ll assist strengthen the combat in opposition to the impression of drought and meals insecurity within the nation,” mentioned Dr Aceng.
“This donation goals to make sure the continuity of important well being companies, together with malaria, maternal, new child and baby well being, vitamin, tuberculosis and HIV, on the well being facility and neighborhood ranges, whereas addressing malnutrition among the many susceptible,” mentioned Dr Njuguna.
Over the previous three years, north-eastern Uganda (Karomoja, Teso and Lango) has confronted a number of public well being challenges on account of drought, with Moroto, Kaabong and Karenga districts being probably the most affected. These challenges embody meals insecurity resulting in malnutrition and illness outbreaks.
A survey carried out in April 2022 revealed that 6% of households in Karamoja have been severely meals insecure, whereas 52% have been reasonably meals insecure. Projections of the acute malnutrition scenario present that the scenario is predicted to deteriorate additional in some districts.
In response to this disaster, WHO mobilized inside monetary, technical and operational sources to handle the drought emergency. Medical provides to the Ministry of Well being are a part of the assist supplied to answer the emergency.
In collaboration with the Authorities of Uganda, WHO additionally supported the Ministry of Well being in finalizing the disaster response plan, carried out coaching for leaders within the affected areas to boost consciousness of the magnitude of the disaster, strengthened the capability of fast response groups and educated 146 well being employees within the built-in administration of acute malnutrition.
As well as, WHO supported the nation in creating a meals insecurity response plan, supplied private protecting tools and technical help in recruiting fast response groups to assist the affected areas.