Health minister lauds technology in health services
May 26, 2004
THE minister for health, Brig. Jim Muhwezi, has applauded the use of information technology to improve access and quality of health services in the country.
By Fred Ouma
THE minister for health, Brig. Jim Muhwezi, has applauded the use of information technology to improve access and quality of health services in the country.
This was in a speech read by the ministry’s systems administrator, Eng. Martin Kiyingi, at a workshop on Hand-held Computers at Imperial Botanical Hotel, Entebbe, on Wednesday.
Muhwezi said the ministry’s main thrust was on how to improve health services, especially hygiene, immunisation, nutrition and health care.
“Definitely the new innovations in technology are good for the health sector. However, as a liberalised economy, we must endeavour to analyse and monitor such developments,†he said.
The workshop, whose theme was: Hand-held Computers in Africa: Exploring the promise for the health sector, was organised by Uganda Chartered Healthnet, Makerere University Medical School and Satelife USA.
It was funded by International Development Research Centre.
Muhwezi said technology should be used to provide solutions to the existing problems but not problems to incline towards technology.
“Our initiatives are to look into innovations, which are cost-effective to capture information and analysis. We are looking at those initiatives to avail services at cheaper cost where even the poorest in society should have access to the services,†he said.
Muhwezi said the ministry emphasised IT-based research.
Ends
THE minister for health, Brig. Jim Muhwezi, has applauded the use of information technology to improve access and quality of health services in the country.
This was in a speech read by the ministry’s systems administrator, Eng. Martin Kiyingi, at a workshop on Hand-held Computers at Imperial Botanical Hotel, Entebbe, on Wednesday.
Muhwezi said the ministry’s main thrust was on how to improve health services, especially hygiene, immunisation, nutrition and health care.
“Definitely the new innovations in technology are good for the health sector. However, as a liberalised economy, we must endeavour to analyse and monitor such developments,†he said.
The workshop, whose theme was: Hand-held Computers in Africa: Exploring the promise for the health sector, was organised by Uganda Chartered Healthnet, Makerere University Medical School and Satelife USA.
It was funded by International Development Research Centre.
Muhwezi said technology should be used to provide solutions to the existing problems but not problems to incline towards technology.
“Our initiatives are to look into innovations, which are cost-effective to capture information and analysis. We are looking at those initiatives to avail services at cheaper cost where even the poorest in society should have access to the services,†he said.
Muhwezi said the ministry emphasised IT-based research.
Ends