HYGIENE

This year’s Rolex Festival looks

at improving hygiene
By Denis Nsubuga
Added 13th June 2019 02:52 PM

The Rolex – a roll of a chapatti and fried eggs—is one of

the most popular street delicacies in Uganda.

Enjoying the delicacy. PHOTOS: Denis Nsubuga

 
In a warm-up to the annual Rolex Festival, the curators are focusing guns at improving hygiene
in the Rolex business.
 
During the launch of the year’s edition on Tuesday evening, Enid Mirembe, the CEO of Rolex
Initiative which organizes the festival, emphasized hygiene as one of the most crucial elements that
will supplement the increasing popularity of the snack.
 
The Rolex – a roll of a chapatti and fried eggs—is one of the most popular street delicacies in
Uganda.
 
Mirembe informed guests at the launch at Independence Monument Grounds, Kampala that before the
grand event, sponsors Coca Cola with organisers will run sensitisation campaigns on hygiene around
town.
 

 Rolex is a popular delicacy 

 “The biggest problem we see now with the youth who are involved in the Rolex business is hygiene.
So this year’s activations for the festival will focus on majorly hygiene,” Mirembe said.
 
She explained, “Some of our objectives, besides the event, is improving the Rolex, hygiene
sensitisation, quality assurance of Rolex as a street delicacy.”
 
Inaugurated in 2015, the Rolex Festival is a major food event organised to popularise the snack and as
part of efforts to promote food tourism in Uganda. Awarded ‘Food Event of Year’ in the 2019 Ekkula
Awards for tourism, the event is a brainchild of Mirembe, a Miss Tourism Busoga 2015/2016.
 

 Enjoying the delicacy

This year is the fourth edition, which will take place on August 18, 2019, at Lugogo Cricket Oval,
Kampala. It moves from its home for all the previous years, Uganda Museum, Kamwokya.
 
Representing the guest of honour, state minister for Tourism, Godfrey Kiwanda, Senior Tourism
Officer at the Ministry of Tourism, Jimmy Kigozi lauded the festival for its impact on promoting
tourism as a destination.

 Tasting the snack

 
“These are some of the efforts that show the variety we have as Ugandans as regards to Tourism.
Tourists should know that we not only have animals to see but also good foods,” Kigozi said.
 
Mirembe reiterated, “Global destinations are known for their foods. When you go to Italy, you find
Pasta, when you go to India, you find Biryani. These are tourism drivers.”
 

 Spicing the rolex

At the launch, guests feasted on different kinds of the Rolex. Mirembe noted that the snack can be
spiced with different recipes, including chicken, beef, Malewa (from Bugisu) and Eshabwe (from
Ankole).
 
Various street Rolex makers around town will be picked to make and sell the snack at the festival.
Poor diet linked to 1 in 5 deaths globally - study
By AFP
Added 4th April 2019 06:37 AM

The United Nations estimates that nearly a billion people worldwide are malnourished, while
nearly two billion are "overnourished".

Overconsumption of meat, sugar and salt and meat is killing millions of people every year, experts
warn. (AFP)

NUTRITION | HEALTH

One in five deaths globally are linked to poor diet, experts have said, warning that
overconsumption of sugar, salt and meat is killing millions of people every year.

The United Nations estimates that nearly a billion people worldwide are malnourished, while nearly
two billion are "overnourished".

But the latest study on global diet trends, published in The Lancet, showed that in nearly every one of
the 195 countries surveyed, people were also eating too much of the wrong types of food -- and
consuming worryingly low levels of healthier produce.

For example, the world on average consumes more than ten times the recommended amount of sugar-
sweetened beverages, and 86% more sodium per person than is considered safe.

 The study, which examined consumption and disease trends between 1990-2017, also cautioned that
too many people were eating far too few whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds to maintain a healthy
lifestyle.

Of the 11 million deaths attributed to poor diet, by far the largest killer was cardiovascular disease,
which is often caused or worsened by obesity.

"This study affirms what many have thought for several years -- that poor diet is responsible for more
deaths than any other risk factor in the world," said study author Christopher Murray, director of the
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

"Our assessment suggests the leading dietary risk factors are high intake of sodium, or low intake of
health foods."

The report highlighted large variation in diet-related deaths between nations, with the highest-risk
country Uzbekistan having ten times the food-based mortality rate of the lowest-risk, Israel.

 EAT-Lancet report

In January, a consortium of three dozen researchers called for a dramatic shift in the way the world
eats.

The EAT-Lancet report said that the global population must eat roughly half as much red meat and
sugar, and twice as many vegetables, fruits and nuts in order to avert a worldwide obesity epidemic
and avoid "catastrophic" climate change.

Authors of Thursday's study noted that economic inequality was a factor in poor dietary choices in
many countries.

It found that on average, reaching the "five-a-day" fruit and vegetable servings advocated by doctors
cost just 2% of household income in rich nations, but more than a half of household income in poorer
ones.

 Fruits and vegetables. Better start

consuming more of these for a healthier life
 
"This study gives us good evidence of what to target to improve diets, and therefore health, at the
global and national level," said Oyinlola Oyebode, Associate Professor at Warwick Medical School,
who was not involved in the research.

"The lack of fruit, vegetables and whole grains in diets across the world are very important -- but the
other dietary factor highlighted by this study is the high intake of sodium."
Sexuality education in schools: Is It a spiritual or a
physical Issue?
By Admin
Added 17th March 2019 07:27 AM

The National Sexuality Education Framework which is the subject of national dialogue today
will not solve the root causes of sexual malpractices/violence. The project only targets
symptoms

Youth and adolescents have asked the government to roll out the national framework for sex
education in schools in order to mitigate the increasing number of teenage pregnancies in the
country.
They argue that the lack of sex education has been identified as one of the major causes of teenage
pregnancies and the increase in new HIV/AIDS infections among youth and adolescents.

A survey done by Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Alliance revealed that most new
HIV/AIDS infections among the youth are due to ignorance in sex education.
“57% of the youth that participated in the survey have no access to friendly services. When we asked
them if they knew what sex education is, most youths were not aware,” said Lore Roels from SRHR.
They were speaking at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Youth
Satellite Event organised by UNFPA, Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum (UYAHF),
Action 4 Health Uganda, Right Here Right Now and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR)
Alliance, among other youth and adolescent centred organisations.
The event was organised for the youth to formulate issues affecting them that will be presented during
the commemoration of the 25 years of ICPD in Nairobi, Kenya.
A total of about 180 youths attended the conference with representatives from all various districts.

They said information and sensitisation are very powerful in influencing their decisions and choices
regarding sexual and reproductive health.
They, therefore, called on the government to invest more on sex education to help them make
informed decisions.
They also underscored the need to involve not just teachers, but parents and government to help
achieve this was sited out.

“Parents have to play a role to talk to their children, so if the parent does not do this, then the policy
can come in,” said Timothy Sserubiri from Muvubuka Agujuse.
Rebecca Masaba, a deaf teenage mother narrated her experience of how she was oppressed and
ignored by her parents because they saw her as a burden. They did not avail her with sex education
which made her end up pregnant at a young age.

“There is a need to create more awareness. Ignorance should be dealt with and the government should
help the deaf get a voice out there,” Masaba said.
The newly crowned Miss Uganda Oliver Nakakande who also graced the occasion sympathised with
Masaba and pointed out that the youth should be more involved in youth matters.

“I advocate for youth to get involved in youth matters. We have few youth leaders, few youths
representing youth. There is also a need to promote education. Nobody can articulate well the issues
of the youth more than the youth themselves,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of girl child education, noting that when you educate women, you
educate the world.
Jinja, Entebbe towns launch schools sanitation
competition
By Julius Luwemba
Added 13th March 2019 10:31 PM

Learners are described as the right people to be taught the gospel of health, sanitation and
sustainable use of Lake Victoria.

Students and teachers attending the launch of the competition. (Credit: Julius Luwemba)

SANITATION

The municipalities of Jinja and Entebbe have launched a schools sanitation competition dubbed
Lake Victoria Inter-local Authorities Schools Public Health Competition, which will run for one
year under a pilot programme.

The programme, launched at the beginning of this week at Entebbe Municipality headquarters, will
include both primary and secondary schools around Lake Victoria, starting with those from Entebbe
and Jinja for the pilot study.

Thereafter, it will be extended to other areas which share Lake Victoria as a common natural resource.

According to Mercy Ssebuliba, the programme's co-ordinator, the competition is aimed at improving
sanitation and health starting with learners, whom he described as the right people to be taught the
gospel of health, sanitation and sustainable use of Lake Victoria.

Entebbe leaders briefed learners about the competition

 
Entebbe municipality mayor Vincent Kayanja de Paul applauded the initiative spearheaded by
Community Based Public Health initiative (CBPHi) a Non Government Organisation, saying, it's such
a great opportunity for leaders and elders to engage with young generation on matters of
environmental conservation and sustainability.

Midious Mbabazi, the deputy mayor of Jinja, pledged total support towards the new programme, also
vowing that her municipality would win the competition. She described Jinja as a clean town where
learners are always taught to value and conserve the environment.

Sandra Kyamazima is the vice president of Youth Empowerment for Climate Change Mitigation
(YECCM), which is a partnering  body in the programme.

She said a team of inspectors will be making impromptu tours at the schools from either
municipalities, to ascertain the health and sanitation conditions.

"We shall be looking at toilets/latrines, rubbish disposal, water sources, school structures, learners'
cleanliness, among other factors to be considered for judging the competition," said  Kyamazima.

It will as well involve both private and government schools.

 A group photo at the

Entebbe Municipality headquarters
 
Entebbe Municipality MP Rose Tumusiime welcomed the initiative, pledging sh1m towards the
programme. The initiative is being sponsored by Lake Victoria Regional Local Authorities and
Counties Co-operation (LVRAC) through CBPHi.

LVRAC is a network organisation of over 62 local authorities with a population of over 25 million
people in the shore region of Lake Victoria, in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
Gov’t to regulate ambulance services under new
policy
By Betty Amamukirori
Added 5th November 2019 05:44 PM

Dr. John Baptist Waniaye, the commissioner for emergency care services hopes that the
policy if approved will lower the cost of ambulance services in the country.

HEALTH   EMERGENCY 

KAMPALA - The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) policy, which is before the cabinet for
review, seeks to define the standards and norms of ambulances in Uganda.

Dr. Joyce Kaducu, the minister of state for primary health care notes that the policy comes at a time
when any form of car is given a siren and turned into an ambulance while genuine ambulances are
turned into transport vehicles for food staffs and building materials.

 Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu(left) state minister for primary health care and Dr. Alexander Bangirana
from accident and emergency department at Mulago hospital, addressing journalists about the
emergency medical care and response in Uganda. This was at the ministry of health headquarters in
Kampala on Tuesday5, 11, 2019.Photo by Sylvia Katushabe.

 Speaking at a press briefing at the Ministry of Health headquarters this morning, she said the policy
will define what an ambulance is and the kind of equipment it should have.

Dr. John Baptist Waniaye, the commissioner for emergency care services hopes that the policy if
approved will lower the cost of ambulance services in the country.

According to Dr. Waniaye, the cost of ambulance services in Kampala is very high and exorbitant.
Ambulance transport in Kampala costs around sh150,000 while in areas like West Nile, the cost can
go up to sh3m.

He noted that through the policy they will establish a district system whereby every health Centre IV
has a type B ambulance. Type B ambulance has basic life support equipment.

Currently, there are 421 ambulances in the country, out of which 181 (Type B) are in government,
124 in private not for profit organizations and 116 in private facilities.

Tom Kyobe, President Association of Ambulance Professionals of Uganda, said that a standard
ambulance costs about $22,000 (sh81.4m) while the more specialized ones cost up to sh500m each. In
Uganda, he added, commonly used are the Type B ambulances.

 The briefing was organised to unveil the mass casualty drill that will take place at Kololo
Independence grounds on Thursday this week.
The drill is aimed at assessing the response of institutions to a mass casualty situation, both at the site
of the event and the site where medical care is administered using existing inter-institutional
emergency and disaster plans and protocol.

Kaducu noted that the outcomes of the exercise will be used as a benchmark of standards and best
practices that can be adopted and implemented through the EMS policy.

“This move is to ensure that we are systematic in establishing quality and sustainable structures as we
work towards rolling out the national EMS,” she said.

The policy also stipulates for the training of emergency care professionals including ambulance
drivers, establishing a regionally coordinated EMS system, establishing and making of emergency
units functional at health facilities, and public health education on health emergencies.

Kaducu said the policy will address the numerous challenges around emergency medical services and
reduce mortality rates.

“Emergencies, whether due to road traffic crashes, violence, maternal health complications, illness or
other causes, affect not only the immediate victim but also his or her family and members of the
surrounding community,” she said.

She called on Ugandans to acquire skills in administering first aid during emergencies, noting that so
many lives can be saved through first aid.

Kyobe noted that alongside the policy, they are drafting the national curriculum on first aid so as to
standardize the training in the country.

He said they are also going to train ambulance drivers on first aid, noting that they need to know
basics such as stopping the bleeding before rushing victims to health centres.

Emergencies rank among the top 10 causes of deaths in Uganda. The Ministry of Health annual sector
performance report 2017/18 noted that emergencies contributed 7.3% of the major causes of mortality
in Uganda.  In Kampala alone, over 2,500 deaths were registered in the 2018/19 financial year.

According to Dr. Alexander Bangirana, the head accident and emergency unit, Mulago hospital, every
month between 1,600 and 1,800 patients are registered. 40% of these are as a result of traffic crashes.

Kaducu said through the policy, they hope to develop sustainable solutions that will increase access to
emergency medical services across the country and halve preventable deaths of Ugandans.
Activists demand accountability for family planning
funds
By Norah Mutesi
Added 26th August 2019 03:49 PM

“The contraceptive prevalence of Iganga district is 35%, and the unmet need for family
planning is 27%.

His eminence launching the costed implementation plan (Photo by Norah Mutesi)
HEALTH  
Religious leaders and activists for family planning have called for proper expenditure and
accountability of the money given to health workers to secure family planning kits and to take
care of the family planning service providers.
This appeal was made during the launch of Iganga district family planning costed implementation
plan led by Uganda Muslim Supreme Council with financial and technical assistance from Population
Action international and Faith for Family Health Initiative recently.

Rose Ann Baluka the assistant District Health Officer-Maternal Health Iganga district said with a
population of 393,100 of people living in Iganga district, the teenage pregnancy rate alone stands at
27% which is very high compared to other districts.  The national prevalence rate of teenage
pregnancies is 24% according to the 2015 report compiled by UNICEF.

Baluka said due to many teenage pregnancies in the area, most girls have dropped out of school and
others have opted for abortion in order to do away with unwanted pregnancies.
She said that one of the measures they have put in place to reduce teenage pregnancy, is thoroughly
discussing the use of family planning; though its being accepted in the area is still very low. “
“The contraceptive prevalence of Iganga district is 35%, and the unmet need for family planning is
27%. Every woman living in the district is expected to have 6 or 7 children,” Baluka  said.
Baluka called for a collaborative effort to end teenage pregnancy in Iganga, adding that the district has
come up with some strategic objectives to end the vice, and these include strengthening systems for
service delivery, and increasing demand for family planning services through sensitizing the
community members about the values of family planning among other strategies and
Faith For Family Health Initiative, approved and allocated sh110 million to Iganga district as a way of
trying to bring Family planning for services to the people in the nearest communities possible.

Dr. Michael Bukenya Member of Parliament for Bukuya county and chair of the parliament health
committee said  that whereas government is trying to upgrade health center IIs to Health center IIIs at
every sub county level, the community should also do something to keep a girl child in school.
 “Challenges which affect them better and appreciated Iganga district for working with partners to
develop a costed implementation plan and allocate dedicated resources to Family planning. “Issues of
teenage pregnancy and keeping a girl a child in school should be handled by the district leaders
themselves, and not ministry of health,” said Dr. Bukenya.

His Eminence Muhammed Ali Waiswa, the second deputy mufti for Uganda Muslim supreme council
said, different stake holders should come together to end teenage pregnancies in the area.
He added that people should accept the use of family planning so that they give birth to children they
can best take care of.

However, Jackie Katana board member of Faith for Family Health initiative, cautioned the health
officers to use the funds appropriately to ensure the funds allocated to family planning address the real
needs of family planning as priotized in the District costed implementation plans.
Ugandans spend sh1T on treating preventable diseases
By Vision Reporter
Added 20th April 2019 08:10 PM

The health ministry has underscored the significance of paying particular focus on prevention against
majority of the communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases.

Mulago National Referral Hospital. File Photo.

HEALTH

KAMPALA - Ugandans are losing over sh1 trillion on treatment of preventable diseases,
according to an analysis of the national health accounts by the National Planning Authority
(NPA).

The NPA analysis shows that Ugandans spent sh2 trillion on treatment of diseases in the 2014/15
financial year.

In the 2015/16 financial year, the Ugandan households spent sh2.2 trillion on treatment of diseases.
In both financial years, half of the money spent went into treatment of preventable diseases.
The health minister, Dr Jane Aceng, said Ugandans spend that money from their pockets through
transport from home to health facilities, payment for drugs and other health services.

“They pay for some drugs if they are not in public health facilities. Some also go to private health
facilities for services. But most of these diseases are preventable and we need to focus on reducing
that burden,” she added.

NPA statistics show that preventable ailments such as malaria account for 75% of the country’s
disease burden, and expenditure on treatment of illnesses that can be prevented is further
impoverishing Ugandans.

As NPA awaits investment proposals from various sectors for the third National Development Plan
(NDPIII), the health ministry has underscored the significance of paying particular focus on
prevention against majority of the communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The country has performed dismally under the current NDPII. For example, the gains against poverty
alleviation have instead been rolled back under the plan period.

The proportion of Ugandans living under the national (poverty) line increased from 19.7% in 2013 to
21.4% in 2018 under the NDPII period. 

It had reduced from 31.1% in 2006 to 19.7% in 2013 under the NDPI period. Yet the target was to
reduce poverty to 14% under NDPII. 
The NDPIII, expected to be launched between May and June next year, will run for five years;
between 2021 and 2025. 
Uganda is supposed to deliver Vision 2040 through six, five-year development plans.

“Medical expenditure is making Ugandans poorer. We think if sh2.2 trillion can be provided under an
insurance scheme, they would be able to put that money in productive areas. We also need to reduce
cases of preventable diseases,” Sarah Nahalamba, the acting manager for population and social sector
planning at NPA, said.

She was speaking at a meeting organised by NPA for the health sector to start identifying its priority
areas for investment under NDPIII at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala.

Priorities At the end of the meeting, the medical specialists said the health sector between now and
2030 will focus on ensuring that 70% of Ugandans receive essential and quality treatment without
financial constraints. The global target is 90%.

Another target is a 40% reduction in all preventable diseases and a 30% reduction in communicable
diseases and NCDs. However, the ministry said it would not achieve its targets without all sectors
working together to bring down the disease burden.
It added that some of the diseases and health challenges emanate from areas outside the health sphere,
including education, environment and energy.
“You will need to work on improving access to clean energy and reduce use of Tadooba and make
sure the hygiene conditions in schools and homes are conducive for healthy living,” Nahalamba said.

Aceng said some strides had been made under the previous two development plans (NDPI and
NDPII), including reduction in mortality rate from 75 per 1,000 live births in 2010 to 43 per 1,000
live births in 2016, reduction in mortality rate (under five) from 137 per 1,000 to 64 per 1,000 over
the same period.
The maternal mortality rate has declined from 435 per 100,000 to 336 per 100,000 over the same
period.
The inpatient malaria deaths have decreased to 9.38 per 100,000 from 20 per 100,000 between 2016
and 2017.
Aceng said the number of malaria cases per 1,000 persons have also decreased to 293 due to near
universal household coverage of mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying in northern and eastern
Uganda and availability of treatment regimes. 
HIV vaccinations and trials in Uganda 2000 – 2005
By Website
Added 6th November 2019 09:59 PM

Another AIDS vaccine is tested in Uganda. This would bring to three, the number of such
vaccines in Uganda.

UNICEF warns on ARV use:

UNICEF and scientist warn against use of ARVs without improving the nutrition of the patients 
July 2003: 35 volunteer for AIDS vaccine trial at Entebbe
Thirty five volunteers, four of them women received injections in the ongoing AIDS vaccine trial in
Entebbe. Dr. Seth Berkley, the president of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI)
described the progress as rapid.
September 2003: Poor set to get cheap vaccine
The World Trade Organisation finally agrees on letting poor nations import cheaper generic drugs to
fight killer diseases such as AIDS and malaria, ending an often bitter long-running row. 
October 2003: Another AIDS vaccine on trial 
Another AIDS vaccine is tested in Uganda. This would bring to three, the number of such vaccines in
Uganda.  September 2004: Government officials shy away from ARVS  The presidential advisor on
HIV/AIDS, Kintu Musoke, says high ranking government officials living with HIV/AIDS are too
scared to go for free ARVs drugs because they fear the public reaction.
October 2004: More people using ARVs – Muhwezi
AIDS patients receiving ARVs increased from 15,000 to 25,000 in a few months. This was due to the
fall in the cost of drugs, health minister Jim Muhwezi said. 
February 2005: 30 for HIV trials 
Scientists start registering volunteers for HIV vaccines trial set to begin in July. Over 70 people
attended a seminar on the first phase trial that was to be conducted by Makerere University Walter
Reed Project.