Uganda News

Beatrice Awar (17) is typical Ugandan teenager, full of life, ambition and grand dreams about a comfortable future. 

As she prepares the millet supper for the family one evening, Beatrice, who is in Senior 2 at Progress Academy, Abim Town Council in northern Uganda shares her dream.

“I want to be a nurse; God help me. I should know sciences and I should remain prayerful and protect myself from boys. I want to avoid early pregnancy and HIV” she says. 

Entebbe, 18th June 2014:- In Uganda, 62% of Gender Based Violence (GBV) is by intimate partners and largely affects women between the ages of 15 to 49.  The Uganda Health and Demographic Survey (UDHS) of 2011 showed that 63% of the women in Uganda had experienced physical or sexual violence or both in their lives.

GVB acts such as battering, rape, defilement, sexual harassment, Female Genital Mutilation, forced marriages; widow inheritance and verbal abuse among others are too prevalent and lead to serious health consequences especially for women and girls.

Entebbe 12th June 2014:- The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa has trained a cohort of lawyers on international trade law and tobacco control. The lawyers will on request, provide legal technical assistance to the Member States of the WHO African Region on trade related inter-linkages, challenges and opportunities for tobacco control. 

Kampala, 26th June 2014:- Uganda is set to achieving universal coverage of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) which is expected to drastically reduce the malaria infection. Presently, the Ministry of Health with support from Global Fund, Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI) and World Vision is distributing of 21 million LLINs country wide in order to achieve universal coverage.

Kampala, 3rd July 2014:- Blood transfusion as a part of life saving health intervention cannot be overemphasized. Making quality assured blood available to all hospital at all time of the year is among the objectives of any national blood transfusion programme.

Kampala, 8th July 2014:- Uganda released preliminary results of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) indicating that, 1.3 million people aged 15 years and above currently use tobacco products.

Uganda is the 2nd African country after Nigeria to implement GATS that has provided internationally comparable information on tobacco use and indicators to support implementation of effective tobacco control measures.  Overall, the findings indicate that in Uganda, there is positive environment for tobacco control with public support for key tobacco interventions.

Entebbe, 29th July 2014:- The East Africa Community (EAC) secretariat with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) organized an inter country meeting that discussed alternative livelihoods to tobacco growing.  The Chairperson of the meeting, Miss Tabitha Masinjila who is also the Senior Assistant Director, Regional Integration, Ministry of East African Affairs, Kenya, said it was high-time, alternatives get sought for so as not to leave those farmers that may have stopped tobacco farming with no source of income.

Kampala, 31th July 2014:-  WHO has gone into contract with a local partner  Communication for Development Uganda (CDFU), a Ugandan based Non–Governmental Organization (NGO) who will implement the ANI Intervention. The target is to scale up the recommendations through a social and behavioral change communication strategy .

Adjumani, 6th August 2014:- Uganda commemorated the World Hepatitis Day (WHD) with weeklong series of activities  under the theme “Hepatitis; Think again”. The national  commemoration was held at Mayors Garden in Adjumani district presided over by the Minister of Sate of Health (Primary Health Care) Hon Sarah Opendi Ocieng.

Kampala, 15th August 2014:- As the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) continues to ravage Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone in West Africa, Uganda is one of the few countries that have sent deferent cadres of health workers to help contain the disease.