Sh40b plan to focus on non-communicable diseases

By Agnes Nantambi 

The Aids Information Centre (AIC) has unveiled a sh40b five-year strategic plan with a major focus on expansion of services to cater for non-communicable diseases.

"The new plan is practically looking at how  the non-communicable and communicable diseases mainly the cancers, Hepatitis B and the other diseases will be looked at including HIV/AIDS, "said  Dr  Raymond Byaruhanga, the executive director AIC.

Speaking during the 11TH Annual General meeting at the AIC headquarters in Mengo Kisenyi, Dr Byaruhanga explained that the strategic plan is meant to re-strategize AIC for future services that they have been offering.

The strategic plan, he said, is focusing on five key result areas being diagnosis and management of diseases like cancers, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, TB, and Hepatitis.

Dr Chris Baryomunsi (3rd left), State Minister for Health in charge of General Duties flanked by Dr. Raymond Byaruhanga (2nd Left), Executive Director AIDS Information Center (AIC), Dr Medard Bitekyerezo ( Left) MP Mbarara Municipality and Chairperson Board of Trustees AIC inspecting stalls organised by AIC staff during the AGM and launch of AIC new strategic plan in Kisenyi Kampala on 26th June 2015.  Photo/Godfrey Kimono
 

Others are health education, research, advocacy, knowledge management and institutional development.

He said that diagnosis was emphasized in the plan because it is aimed at helping communities out there that cannot access laboratory services and treatment to be able to go to AIC and access some of these services.

"We are going to expand and add more of these services, have more of our health workers and staff trained to be able to do SO, "he said.

"We hope that we shall look out for development partners and non traditional development partners, the Government and internally generated resources to ensure that we implement this plan, "he added.

Dr Chris Baryomunsi (2nd Right), the State Minister for Health in charge of General Duties flanked by Dr. Raymond Byaruhanga (Left), the Executive Director AIDS Information Center (AIC) and Dr Medard Bitekyerezo (2nd Left), MP Mbarara Municipality and Chairperson Board of Trustees AIC, together with other members of AIC, launch the AIC new strategic plan in Kisenyi Kampala on 26th June 2015.  Photo/Godfrey Kimono

 

Currently AIC which is a national nongovernmental organization is looking at providing both preventable and non-preventable services on HIV/AIDS but under the new strategic plan other services will also be offered.

Byaruhanga revealed that, they hope to look at health insurance as part of the internally generated resources to fund the strategy through making small contribution. "We have seen this happen in so many countries "he said.  
 
He observed that HIV/AIDS is still a very critical issue but it has been integrated into other services emphasizing that the new strategic plan is going to be integrating it into these other areas especially the diagnosis, the cancers, the nutritional management among others.

"If you look at the social development goals that were launched this year, HIV/AIDS is no longer being looked at like the Millennium development goals were being looked at, but it is being integrated in other social aspects of development so we want this to also be done within arrange of services," he said.

Dr Chris Baryomunsi the state minister for health in charge of general duties said that the strategic plan will help in strengthening the national response since it looks at the interventions to be spearheaded by AIC.

Sheila Birungi, the regional manager for central Uganda, explained that the strategic plan will provide a comprehensive approach towards health care most especially in the central region with the highest population.

"We hope that this strategic plan will highlight all the services offered by the Centre other than being known for HIV/Aids management and prevention, "she said.

Samuel Mayanja the regional manager Soroti said that under this strategic plan, Hepatitis B which is very high in the region will easily be addressed.

"Very many people in this region do not know about Hepatitis B yet it has no cure, it is a viral disease which is like HIV/AID and transmitted in the same way so we are hopeful about this strategic plan as far as Hepatitis B is concerned, "he said.