]]>During this year’s 68th Annual Epidemic Intelligence Services Conference, two abstracts from Fellows on the Public Health Fellowship Program were accepted for presentation:
- “Outbreak of Human Anthrax Associated with Handling and Eating Meat from a Cow that Died from Unknown Cause: Kween District, Uganda, April 2018” by Esther Kisaakye (Cohort 2018)
- “Malaria Outbreak Facilitated by Appearance of Vector-Breeding Sites after Heavy Rainfall and Inadequate Preventive Measures: Nwoya District, Uganda, March–May 2018” by Godfrey Nsereko (Cohort 2018)
The Fellows were supported to travel and make these presentations in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
As it turned out, one rare, neglected tropical disease had been mistaken for another.
In most affected countries, elephantiasis is caused by worms spread to humans by mosquito bites. The worms nest in lymph nodes, growing into big balls that stretch the glands and prevent lymph fluid from being pumped out of the legs.
The limbs swell, develop ulcerating sores and eventually rot. About 40 million people are disfigured or disabled by the disease, called lymphatic filariasis, the World Health Organization estimates.
In 2015, the Ugandan health ministry was told that an outbreak of elephantiasis was emerging in Kamwenge, in western Uganda. A team from the ministry, the W.H.O. regional office and Makerere University went to investigate.
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]]>Speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference, the Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye said that the Ministry of Health appreciated the contribution of the programme to capacity building for surveillance. He added that the Ministry of Health and the country, broadly, has made strides of immense proportions in the area on Surveillance. He said the Ministry has established surveillance systems and is able to get reports on time. He added that recently as part of the Ebola preparedness plan, the Ministry of Health has given out motorcycles and vehicles to all districts. Another achievement in the area of surveillance is the tremendous improvement in the national sample transportation network.
He however noted that coordination is still wanting in aspects of financial and technical response. He shared that the Ministry of Health is putting together a National Public Health Institute which will help support easier response to epidemics and will have staff within the districts. Another development he mentioned is the possibility of the creation of the Department of Epidemiology and Surveillance which will create more opportunities to be able to respond effectively to epidemics.
He thanked the School of Public Health for its contribution to policy making by making evidence available. He also thanked CDC for the capacity building support which has contributed to Uganda’s high ranking in the area of Global Health Security.
]]>The programme is intended to reinforce implementation of priority public health programmes to reduce morbidity and mortality and develop core capacities for international health regulations compliance, the program director Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze said.
PHFP is offered in five tracks including; Field Epidemiology and training, monitoring and Evaluations, Laboratory systems, Health informatics and health Economics.
Speaking at the launch of the new programme in Kampala, health minister Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye said; the program will improve the quality of investigation and response to acute public health procedures and improve the effectiveness of disease prevention efforts.
“Uganda has registered achievements in containment of outbreaks like Ebola, Marburg, Hepatitis and Typhoid. The responses to these outbreaks have shown that we can control epidemics,” Tumwesigye explained.
Similar programs exist in about 60 other countries including; Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zambia and South Africa among others.
Makerere University Chancellor Prof. Mondo Kagonyera said developing highly skilled and motivated individuals in the chosen fields will play a key role in transforming the public health sector.
“This program is targeting areas that have previously been underfunded and yet it is key to public health,” Kagonyera said.
The United States (US) government has so far invested $30m to support capacity building programmes at Makerere University School of public health.
The principal investigator MakSPH Prof David Serwadda said the Country is still faces challenges of new epidemics and non-communicable diseases. He called for more support in training programmes.
]]>The PHFP will be officially launched at a public function that will be held at Kampala Serena Hotel on Thursday, April 30th, 2015, starting at 2.00pm. The Guest of Honor will be the Rt. Hon. Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, the Prime Minister of Uganda. The occasion will be attended by invited dignitaries including representatives from national and international agencies, district and central governments, as well as members of the academia. We look forward to being with you on that day.
Further information about the PHFP can be obtained from the Program Office at MakSPH Annex Kololo or by calling 0414 533 958 during office hours. You can also send an email inquiry to: [email protected].
| UGANDA PUBLIC HEALTH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM | |
| PROGRAMMME OF THE LAUNCH – THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015 | |
| 2.00 – 2:30pm | All invited guests arrive |
| 2.30 – 2.45?pm | Welcome by the Master of Ceremony: Dr Jane Aceng, Director General, Ministry of Health (MoH) |
| 2.45 – 2.55pm | Overview of the Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program (PHFP): Assoc. Prof Rhoda Wanyenze, Program Director, PHFP |
| 2.55 – 3.05pm | Role of Field Epidemiology in Public Health Practice: Mr Steven Kabwama, PHFP-FET Fellow |
| 3.05 – 3.15pm |
Key note address: Prof David Serwadda, Principal Investigator, MakSPH-CDC Fellowship Program |
| 3.15 – 3.25pm | Interlude |
| 3.25 – 3.35pm | Speech by Assoc. Prof William Bazeyo, Dean, Makerere University School of Public Health |
| 3.35 – 3.45pm | Speech by Dr Steven Wiersma, Country Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| 3.45 – 3.55pm | Speech by Prof John Ddumba-Ssentamu, Vice Chancellor, Makerere University |
| 3.55 – 4.05pm | Speech by Prof Mondo-Kagonyera, Chancellor, Makerere University |
| 4.05 – 4.15pm | Speech by Dr Asuman Lukwago, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health |
| 4.15 – 4.25pm |
Speech by the US Ambassador/US Mission Representative |
| 4.25 – 4.35pm |
Speech by Hon Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, Minister of Health |
| 4.35 – 4.45pm | Remarks by the Guest of Honor, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Prime Minister; and launch of the PHFP |
| 4.45 – 4.55pm | Interlude |
| 4.55 – 5.05pm | Group photos and media interviews |
| 5.05pm | Cocktail and departure at leisure |
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Pellentesque suscipit urna mauris, interdum dapibus ac, rhoncus purus, dictum a, euismod id, felis. Fusce blandit eu, ullamcorper in, iaculis et, ultricies lobortis velit. Mauris imperdiet, urna mi, gravida sodales. Vivamus hendrerit nulla erat ornare tortor in vestibulum id, eleifend neque odio fermentum vel, consectetuer at, imperdiet sapien. Donec blandit, dui eu diam. In gravida ornare. Nullam accumsan. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Praesent feugiat. Cum sociis natoque.
- Suspendisse a pellentesque dui, non felis.
- Quisque lorem tortor fringilla sed.
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Sed dignissim justo. Suspendisse fermentum erat. Duis consequat tortor. Mauris ut tellus a dolor. Suspendisse nec tellus. Donec quis lacus magna, sollicitudin id, turpis. Mauris in velit vel sollicitudin justo. Proin vitae massa nec cursus magna.
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Praesent dapibus, neque id cursus faucibus, tortor neque egestas augue, eu vulputate magna eros eu erat. Vitae adipiscing turpis. Aenean ligula nibh, molestie id viverra a, dapibus at dolor. In iaculis viverra neque, ac eleifend ante lobortis id. In viverra ipsum …
Fusce blandit eu ullamcorper in
Pellentesque suscipit urna mauris, interdum dapibus ac, rhoncus purus, dictum a, euismod id, felis. Fusce blandit eu, ullamcorper in, iaculis et, ultricies lobortis velit. Mauris imperdiet, urna mi, gravida sodales. Vivamus hendrerit nulla erat ornare tortor in vestibulum id, eleifend neque odio fermentum vel, consectetuer at, imperdiet sapien. Donec blandit, dui eu diam. In gravida ornare. Nullam accumsan. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Praesent feugiat. Cum sociis natoque.
- Suspendisse a pellentesque dui, non felis.
- Quisque lorem tortor fringilla sed.
- Quisque cursus et, porttitor risus.
- Nulla ipsum dolor lacus, suscipit adipiscing.
Sed dignissim justo. Suspendisse fermentum erat. Duis consequat tortor. Mauris ut tellus a dolor. Suspendisse nec tellus. Donec quis lacus magna, sollicitudin id, turpis. Mauris in velit vel sollicitudin justo. Proin vitae massa nec cursus magna.
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