Health workers are set to conduct a medical expo led by Dr. Daniel Tumwine, which aims to address the issue of medical misinformation and raise awareness among the public in Uganda.
The scarcity of accurate and timely medical information has led many individuals to make uninformed decisions regarding their health, often opting for expensive procedures or treatments that may not yield positive results.
To combat this problem, the expo has gathered over fifty specialists from different fields of medicine who will provide information and expertise on key health concerns as presented by the public.
The event, scheduled to take place from September 7th to the 9th at UMA show grounds in Lugogo, is open to all individuals who wish to attend.
Laila Noor, a member of the expo team, emphasizes that access to health information is a human right, yet only a small percentage of Ugandans have access to accurate and relevant medical information. For example, studies have shown that eight out of ten caregivers are unaware of key symptoms of childhood pneumonia, which is one of the leading causes of death among children below the age of five.
Dr. Tumwine, who also runs the Children’s Clinic at Naalya and Kisaasi in Kampala, highlights that mothers visiting his clinic often lack awareness that fast breathing is a warning sign of pneumonia in children.
Given that the Ministry of Health is currently focusing on disease prevention and combating self-medication, the expo provides an opportunity for the National Drug Authority (NDA) to offer information on the dangers of over-the-counter drug seeking. Additionally, the NDA can educate attendees on how to report adverse drug reactions to facilitate proper interventions.
Overall, the medical expo aims to bridge the information gap in healthcare, promote disease prevention, and empower individuals with accurate knowledge to make informed decisions about their health.