By Wangechi Thuo and Tawina Clarke
WHO Regional Office for Africa, NTD Advisor, Dr. Adiele Onyeze holds up Uganda’s national NTD plan.
On October 5, 2013, Uganda launched a five-Year Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Master Plan in Entebbe — joining other African nations in the regional effort to control and eliminate NTDs by 2020. The national NTD master plan provides a roadmap for the government and partners to maintain and sustain NTD control efforts in the country with the aim of an NTD free Uganda by the year 2020.
Ahead of the launch, the Director General of health services, Dr. Ruth Aceng, expressed the government’s eagerness to end the cycle of poverty by ending NTDs. Dr. Aceng explained that “most NTDs cause disability and deformity and these lead to partial or complete dependence of victims on individuals resulting in community reduction in economic and agricultural productivity.”
During the launch, high level government officials and partners continued to demonstrate a strong commitment to ending the suffering caused by NTDs. The Honorable Minister of Health, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, led the ceremony and international partners and major donors were also in attendance. Ugandan children also attended – demonstrating an important contribution to the ceremony considering children represent the population most vulnerable to NTDs. In an impactful and emotional performance, students from Budo Junior School in Wakiso District performed a song titled “Let’s join hands and make Uganda free of NTDs”, while others presented a poem illustrating the impact of NTDs on millions of Ugandans — more than 15 million of whom are at risk for one or more NTDs.
The demonstrated commitment to NTD control and elimination efforts demonstrated by a diverse group of partners is an encouraging start to achieving a Uganda free of NTDs.
For further information on the launch event, please visit New Vision.