Kampala -The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with funding from the Embassy of Japan in Uganda and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda has handed over two ambulances and an assortment of equipment and supplies to the Ministry of Health (MOH) to support interventions to advance sexual reproductive health and rights.
The two ambulances worth USD 130,000 (UGX 481 million) were procured with funding from the Embassy of Japan in Uganda to support Palabek Kal Health Center III in Lamwo district and Rukunyu Hospital in Kamwenge district. This is in addition to one ambulance that was handed over to the Ministry of Health early this year, with funding from UNFPA core resources to support Lalogi Heath Center IV in Omoro district.
The Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng thanked the Embassy of Japan, the Embassy of Netherlands and UNFPA Uganda for prioritizing maternal health including in humanitarian settings.
“The ambulances will be part of the National Ambulance fleet and will be used for Emergency response and referral, with focus on high burden disease conditions like Maternal Child health conditions, Road traffic Injuries and intra-facility transfer. They will be part of the regionally coordinated ambulance service, and in this case they will be part of Gulu and Fort Portal RRHs fleet. The Districts will however be responsible for ensuring the security of the ambulance, its professional use, and ensuring the safety of equipment therein.” Said Dr Aceng.
She noted that the day to day operations of the ambulances will be funded through the National Ambulance Service Fund, Results-Based Financing (RBF), Primary Health Care (PHC) funds and locally generated resources.
At the handover ceremony, Ambassador Fukuzawa Hidemoto said that the support is part of the Government of Japan’s response, commitment, and support towards refugees and host communities as well as the COVID-19 response in Uganda.
“The role played by emergency vehicles such as ambulances in quality health service delivery cannot be over-emphasized. The procurement aims at strengthening the emergency obstetric referral system including support to the operations of ambulance services in refugee settlements and host communities in Western and Northern Uganda. I must therefore congratulate Dr. Otieno and her team for observing the project timeline in procuring the ambulances,” said H.E. Hidemoto.
Through UNFPA, the Embassy of Netherlands in Uganda invested USD 127,288 (UGX 471 million) to support the procurement of 90 computers, 90 printers, and 90 internet devices to strengthen the electronic Logistics Management Information systems (eLMIS) for Reproductive Health Commodities. The equipment will be distributed to select health facilities in West Nile and Acholi sub-regions to support the online ordering and reporting for Reproductive Health and other commodities.
“Efficient logistic management at lower health facilities, is fundamental for last mile commodity security. With this support the Netherlands contributes to enabling people to access and utilize sexual and reproductive health services that meet their needs,” said Ms. Ruth van Zorge, First Secretary Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, Netherlands Embassy.
In addition, a total of 2,342 manual vacuum aspiration kits worth USD 120,730 (UGX 446 million) were procured under the UNFPA Supplies Partnership Programme, and will be distributed to Health Centre IIls and above across the Country with guidance from the Ministry of Health.
According to the UNFPA Representative in Uganda, Dr. Mary Otieno, the support is intended to strengthen emergency referrals, post-abortion care, and electronic logistics management systems for reproductive health commodities.
“I call upon the recipient districts and health facilities to ensure that these ambulances, manual vacuum aspiration kits and the electronic equipment are used for their intended purposes and are well-maintained and hence able to operate for a longer time,” said Dr. Otieno.
Dr. Otieno commended the Governments of Japan and the Netherlands for the generous support towards the mandate of UNFPA to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled, and committed to continue working with the Government of Uganda to ensure that sexual and reproductive health and rights issues remain on the agenda of development partners.
