Gov't to improve investment in education, health

By Cecilia Okoth

Government, through Partners in Population Development (PPD) is set to improve on investment in education and health sectors in a bid to harness the country's population's economic potential.

PPD is an intergovernmental alliance of developing countries committed to improving the quality of life of people through sustainable advocacy, capacity building, knowledge sharing and transfer of technology in the field of reproductive health, population and development within the framework of South South cooperation.

This, according to the Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development David Bahati, is vital if the country is to meet its target of becoming a middle income country as laid out in the 2040 vision.

While presiding over the launch of the PPD magazine that has been published to mark 20 years of service to Ugandans at Imperial Royal Hotel Wednesday, Bahati noted that the country's population which currently stands at 35 million is one of the major pillars upon which government hopes to meet its target of transforming the country into an economic hub and third income country.

  The minister of state for planning, David Bahati (middle) launches a magazine by Partners in Population and Development organization showing its activities and achievements over the past 20 years. This was at Imperial Royale Hotel where PPD celebrated 20 years. Left is director population secretariat, Charles Zirarema. Rigght Dr. Jotham Tumwesigye, the director PPD, August 05,2015. PHOTO/Eddie Ssejjoba

PPD is a vibrant alliance of developing countries that has helped member states achieve substantial success in sexual and reproductive health including family planning, HIV/AIDS, population and development during the last 20 years.

It has successfully transformed the South to South collaboration theory into practice and has been embraced by many developing countries as an essential way to development.
 
"However for this to be achieved, there is need to improve on service delivery in the education and health sectors so as to create a healthy and highly skilled population that will drive the country's economy," Bahati said.

The minister however highlighted challenges PPD still faces like high population growth rate, abject poverty, illiteracy and failure to achieve universal access to reproductive health services that require urgent attention yet international funding and assistance is drastically decreasing.
           
"We need to continue strengthening the collaboration of PPD, making the South to south approach the preferred option for assistance," said the minister.
           
Charles Zirarema the Acting Director Population Secretariat said the organisation gets scholarships related to the population field that benefit those who express interest both at national level and district population officers.
           
The scholarships include diplomas in demography studied in Egypt, public health in India and policy analysis in South Africa. The secretariat also works in the field of population and development.
           
Jotham Musinguzi, the regional director PPD, said the organisation was formed in 1994 in Cairo and the aim was that developing countries thought they had enough experience in the field of population and development, reproductive health and family planning which they thought they should share amongst themselves in order to speak with one voice on these matters.
           
"Uganda has benefited from the south south partnership in particular it has received grants from China in terms of commodities for reproductive health and scholarships from South Africa, India, Egypt, as regards scholarships," Musinguzi said.