Kampala, Uganda– The World Health Group Deputy Govt Director of the Health Emergency Programme, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, and the World Health Group Africa Regional Emergency Director, Dr. Abdou Salam Gueye, concluded a successful two-day advocacy visit to Uganda (24-25 October 2024).
During their mission, they met with Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, High Minister of the Republic of Uganda, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Honorable Minister of Health for Uganda, Members of the Parliamentary Health Committee, the diplomatic corps and effectively being building companions, the United International locations Nation Group, and WHO Nation Office workers.
Acknowledging Uganda’s clear response to the Mpox outbreak, Dr. Chikwe emphasized the WHO’s ongoing give a increase to across pretty a lot of response pillars to manipulate infection and discontinue severe disease forms. “We acknowledge the perform of the Ugandan Authorities in responding to the Mpox outbreak in a clear manner. The WHO will continue supporting the nation efforts across the totally different pillars of the response to manipulate infection and discontinue severe forms of the disease,” acknowledged Dr. Chikwe.
Dr. Chikwe additionally rallied the diplomatic corps, effectively being building companions, and United International locations agencies in Uganda to mobilize resources and invest in neighborhood mobilization, highlighting the significance of native knowledge in emergency response. Representatives attended from the embassies and missions of Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, South Korea, United Kingdom, European Civil Security and Humanitarian Encourage Operations, United States Companies and products for Disease Alter and Prevention, United States Company for International Pattern, World Food Programme, International Group of Migration, United International locations International Kids’s Emergency Fund, Africa Centres for Disease Alter and Prevention, and Islamic Pattern Bank.
Since the first confirmed Mpox case on 24 July 2024, Uganda has recorded 167 confirmed cases across 19 districts, with one confirmed death and 84 recoveries. The WHO is supporting the Ugandan Authorities and companions in strengthening neighborhood constructions, coordinating response efforts, conducting surveillance and field investigations, enhancing laboratory programs, and providing case management and infection prevention.
Dr. Abdou Salam Gueye known as for effectively timed investments to discontinue the Mpox outbreak from overwhelming Africa’s effectively being programs. “Africa is the most affected space in terms of effectively being emergencies. If we damage no longer act lickety-split, the Mpox cases will overwhelm the effectively being programs in the space in phrases of human resources and logistics,” he acknowledged.
The WHO crew acknowledged parliamentary give a increase to and entreated continued cooperation with effectively being authorities to take care of public effectively being emergencies. They emphasized the perform of parliamentarians in neighborhood mobilization for possibility conversation and in reducing vaccine hesitancy, amongst others.
“I succor you to make use of your positions to give a increase to advocacy efforts, especially for neighborhood mobilization of your respective constituency and minimize vaccine hesitancy, especially in excessive-possibility populations once vaccines come in the nation. To take care of the information gaps in the neighborhood, we are relying on you to make positive that that the lawful information is shared, and most importantly the Parliamentary Health Committee performs a key perform mobilizing domestic financing for effectively being to fight diseases outbreaks,” acknowledged Dr. Charles Njuguna, WHO Handbook a.i. to Uganda.
This visit underscored the dedication of the WHO and its companions to strengthening Mpox response in Uganda.
