Health Ministry roots for shs120bn Post Ebola recovery

The Ministry of Health has outlined a set of priorities that require funding to a tune of 120billion shillings in the Ebola Post Outbreak recovery plan.

This was during a meeting with several donors, implementing partners, staff and stakeholders in Kampala.

Among the priories include; case management to handle survivors, infection prevention and control as well as setting up a Centre of excellence in Mubende and Jinja districts.

Other priorities are Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Logistics, Risk Communication, community engagement, Strategic Information Research and Innovation (SIRI) and continuity of essential services.

According to health minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng , in the last fora, they came up with a few activities to implement to ensure that they do not close shop and forget that another epidemic will occur since Uganda is in the Congo basin that is prone to epidemics and when it occurs, they want to be better prepared.

“This exit plan is to ensure that we continuously build systems that can withstand another shock when it happens. And it is upon us now to support the system to grow stronger so that the next outbreak will not last 69 days but rather shorter than that.”Aceng added.

The UN Resident Coordinator Susan Ngongi Namondo said “the outbreak confirmed that for all us to succeed we have to work together hand in hand and strengthen all structures to capture all partners in their various capacities.”

 “We need a system that is well oiled in terms of non-emergency and non-outbreak so that during times of emergency it really falls into place.” Namondo noted.

On his part, Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to Uganda said "The Post Ebola Recovery Plan offers a roadmap for the next 6 months to guide us as we continue our work towards heightened surveillance and supporting survivors. WHO will continue to support partners, coordinate and work with the Ministry Of Health to monitor implementation of the plan ."

WHO recommends an-180 day post out-break enhanced surveillance period to make sure that all issues around the outbreak are addressed.