Public Health Specialists in Not-For-Profit centers call for government support

In Summary
  • Government needs to come in to support the facilities in terms of WASH and so we need that increased collaboration between the scientist and the non-scientists.
  • Among the areas of improvement include; toilet coverage, piped water, accessibility ramps for persons with disabilities, gaps in funding and staff.
Attendees pose for a group photo
Image: Edwin Muhumuza

Public Health stakeholders are calling for the revival of multi-sectoral cooperation to ensure public access to healthy and safe water, adequate sanitation, and improved hygiene.

They made the remarks during a stakeholder engagement advocacy workshop that brought together private not-for-profit health care facilities engaged in safe water, adequate sanitation, and improved hygiene (WASH) program.

The Dialogue was organized by Engineers Without Borders, a not-for-profit organization and Programme for Accessible health, Communication, and Education (PACE)

The majority of the speakers reiterated the need for government to support private not-for-profit health care facilities under the WASH program.

Kumi municipality MP,Silas Aogon
Image: Courtesy

The event also saw the organizations disseminate a report on what has been assessed in the different Private Non for Profit facilities.

Among the areas of improvement include; toilet coverage, piped water, accessibility ramps for persons with disabilities, gaps in funding, and staff.

In his remarks, the chairperson of the Parliamentary WASH forum Honourable Silas Aogon resounded the importance of supporting and investing in private not-for-profit health care facilities as they play a significant role in realizing the sectoral Development Goals (SDG3) which is good health for all.

The chief engineer at Engineers Without Borders ,Gerard Dalziel
Image: courtesy photo

“ I want to agree with Engineers Without Borders, that government needs to come in to support the facilities in terms of WASH and so we need that increased collaboration between the scientist and the non-scientists. By and large, as WASH our role is to make sure that we provide you with that access to parliament to access funding support” Aogon added.

Doctor Daniel Kyabayize, director of public health at the Ministry of Health, while responding to the report, said that they also take not that private sectors and PNFP hospitals are well organized, some are managed, by non-health professionals who have received training and keep improving, so there are certain things we need to borrow.

He added, "But keenly we are seeing that people have trust, whereas it was not the main aim of the assessment, in the care, they receive from these facilities."