By Violet Nabatanzi

Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has appealed to health workers to take advantage of the Infectious Disease Institute (IDI) facility at Makerere University to develop cutting-edge skills and research to address the increasing health needs of the population.

Rugunda, who commissioned the newly constructed US$3.3m ( sh10b) IDI center at Makerere, said innovations and research are critical areas in health sector, adding health workers need to keep up to date with new developments in their field in the world increasingly shaped by the fast growing technology.

"Integrated disease surveillance and respond is critical, it is important for us to build necessary capacity to monitor various elements of disease outbreaks and contain them," he added.

Prime minster Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda readies to commission the new Infectious Disease Institute (IDI) building at Makerere University on Friday, as the University Vice Chancellor, Prof Sentamu Ddumba (R), former executive director of IDI Prof Alex Contino , Prof Nelson Sewankambo and IDI executive director Richard Brough applaud him. PHOTO/VIOLET NABATANZI

The center, the Prime minister said, should enable health workers to focus on health care development to improve the quality of health care.

"IDI research studies have provided useful input, in the development of the national treatment policy and guidelines.
IDI based study on the optimal management of Cryptococcal Meningitis of people living with HIV led to the recent agendum to the National antiretroviral therapy guidelines," Rugunda said.

The construction of the new center was funded by Hank McKinnell, the Chair of the Board of Accordia Global Health Foundation, the Sue and Nick Hellman Foundation and University of Minnesota among others.

The facility will be used to conduct IDI's outreach, training programs as well as hosting some projects.

Since 2002 IDI has trained over 17,000 health workers from Uganda and 27 other African countries. The Training covers HIV/AIDS and TB co-infection, malaria, lab services, pharmacy and systems strengthening among others.

And another rapidly expanding area of work, both in Uganda and the region, relates to extremely dangerous pathogens such as Ebola.

Rugunda noted that "Integrated disease surveillance and respond is critical, it is important for us to build necessary capacity to monitor various elements of disease outbreaks and contain them,"

IDI is active in about 60% of the districts in Uganda and currently supports government and non-government health facilities in providing HIV care and treatment services to over 110,000 people living with HIV in both urban and rural settings, with support from CDC.

"We are developing E-Learning capability, with expert support from Stanford University. We have run some pilot courses and again, we see this as potentially a University resource," IDI executive director Richard Brough said.

The Vice chancellor Makerere University, Prof. John Ddumba-Ddumba, commended the institute for playing an important role in advisement of the University, by carrying out innovate research