The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Makerere University is seeking for funding worth 3 billion shillings to finance an upcoming World Health Summit.
The event that is scheduled to take place in April will be the first to be held in Africa after Makerere University College of Health Sciences won the bid to host the summit.
It will attract about 2000 delegates from over 100 other countries who will be in the country to discuss the latest research into healthcare globally.
Dr Charles Batte, the Director of the Secretariat at the College of Health Sciences said several countries were assessed and Uganda won the competition to hold the event because of the way it handles its public health emergencies quickly, a model that other countries are starting to learn from.
He said in their pitch included how the country is managing to keep Ebola hemorrhagic fever that is ravaging the neighbouring DR Congo at bay.
He said this is an opportunity for Ugandan researchers to showcase what they are contributing to the health sector. Batte adds that some of the issues that will be discussed are the health of cities, global health security, one health which involves looking at emerging and re-emerging diseases and antimicrobial resistance among others.
However, last week while addressing paediatricians, Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng encouraged them to submit their researches but warned that she is still unaware of where the funds for the summit will come from although the biggest funder is expected to be government.
Batte says this budget will continue changing considering the calibre of dignitaries they are expecting such as the President of France, the Prime Minister of Norway, World Health Organization Director-General and the chancellor of Germany who they plan to award a honorary degree for her contribution towards health.
This will be the 8th conference to take place globally and will mainly focus on the African journey towards meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and achieving universal health coverage.
All the previous ones have happened outside Africa. The minister is expected to travel to Germany later this week to update organizers on the country’s readiness.
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