Uganda will need to train more field epidemiologists in order to make major strides in disease surveillance and handling outbreaks before spiralling out of control. This was revealed by Dr Alex Riolexus Ario, the Director of the Uganda National Institute of Public Health as a batch of 13 specialists were graduating as field epidemiologists…
The Health Ministry has delayed to upload the data of the more than 6.5 million Ugandans’ COVID-19 jabs on its portal due to technical challenges. Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, the COVID-19 Incident Commander, says they got overwhelmed by the high turn up of vaccinated people in a short period of time. Between November and December, the…
The Ministry of Health has launched an integrated computer system to curb drug shortage and wastage in health facilities countrywide. The system includes the provision of computers and trained staff to monitor the availability and usage of drugs in health facilities. While many health facilities in the country order medicines through the National Medic Stores…
Medical workers at the Kawolo Hospital Maternity Department are failing to cope with the high numbers of babies born at the facility yet they have limited space to accommodate them at the neonatal unit. The unit which was designed to accommodate 20 premature babies, often born before 28-weeks gestation and are seen to be unwell…
Report on Media Engagement for Editors in Uganda 1. Introduction: The breakfast media engagement café that took place at Café Javas Lugogo in Kampala on the 16th of November bringing together 25 participating editors of different media houses in Uganda, an expert and an activist in the fight against the HIV epidemic in Uganda. 2. Objectives The four hours…
By Steven Enatu The lack of adherence to HIV drugs by young people due to stigma from the community may affect Uganda’s ability to attain the UNAIDS targets to achieve the next set of goals to end AIDS by 2030. TheUNAIDS targets 95-95-95 for treatment: 95% of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status; 95% of…
The US Embassy in Kampala has temporarily suspended routine visitor visa interviews following a recent spike in Covid-19 cases in the country. The suspension comes in the wake of the third wave of the pandemic declared by the Ministry of Health on 7 January 2022. According to Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the country has been…
Uganda is moving to expand its cold chain storage capacity as it introduces new vaccines in its routine childhood vaccination programme and and handles more COVID-19 vaccines. This week Uganda added over 1,300 solar-powered refrigerators, vaccine carriers, and walk-in refrigerators to manage the cold chain for vaccines and to stop wastage. Expansion of the vaccine program…
In Gulu district, northern Uganda, pupils and teachers are undergoing a one-week-long psychosocial support as schools reopen. Several schools have dedicated the first week to offering counselling and change of mindset to enable learners to overcome the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown. Uganda’s learners returned to school this week after a two year closure, the…
Uganda’s budget for COVID-19 vaccines was allocated to purchases only. The Ministry of Health (MOH) says there are no funds for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines which could lead them to expire but is counting on a loan from from the World Bank. A stock of 32 million doses of different COVID-19 vaccine doses have…