Public health institute in offing - minister

By Violet Nabatanzi & Juliet Waiswa

KAMPALA – Uganda’s health ministry is in the process of setting up a National Public Health Institute intended for surveillance and monitoring of disease outbreaks.

This was revealed by the health minister Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye during a graduation of eight Fellows of the Makerere School of Public Health (MakSPH).

He said government's intervention will help reduce on communicable diseases like Ebola, which can be managed within the country.

 "As of now we are discussing with various partners to have this institute put in place, but the various components of this institute are already in place.”

‘Free healthcare’

Addressing professors, doctors, researchers at the Fairway Hotel in Kampala, the minister said Uganda's health system requires a research centre of excellence where disease epidemiologists can carry out their research and treat diseases.

He told health workers that government needs support in the health sector as regards to universal health coverage where each citizen should be given a chance to enjoy healthcare without having financial hardships.

"We need universal health coverage to ensure each Ugandan has an opportunity to get the best healthcare service without spending money," he said.
 

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Here, Minister Tumwesigye handing over a certificate to Elizabeth Mushabe upon completion of her fellowship in health systems management. (Credit: violet Nabatanzi)

The principal investigator (MakSPH), Prof Christopher Orach said the two-year training programme (FPHSM) was to develop Health System Managers who are competent to manage a wide range of health services challenges, leading to better healthcare delivery and improved health of the population.

Dr. Anthony Mbonye, the commissioner of community health, appealed to the Fellows to promote and improve as well as maintain the health of the people equitably.

He commended the Belgian government for giving more support by training scientists, nurses and biomedical engineers, among others.

Minister Tumwesigye said government intends to seriously invest in community health workers to sensitize the public on common diseases which require personal hygiene.

"The community extension system is an ideal system,” he said, adding: “In every community the intervention of community health workers who reach out at the household level is not bad.”

He said further that the health insurance policy in Uganda is still at a standstill  and that government is still struggling to find money to fund the policy which he said may be expensive for the country.