Govt to train district health workers on diabetes, cancer
The Commissioner of Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr Charles Oyoo Akiya, signs on a placard during the launch of the health project in Kampala yesterday.
Left is the chairperson of the Uganda Initiative for Integrated Management of Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr Doreen Birabwa-Male. PHOTO/ISAAC KASAMANI
What you need to know:
- 41: Percentage of deaths arising from non-communicable diseases in the country.
The Ministry of Health has launched a project for addressing the skills gap among health workers in detecting, treating and curbing the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
The three-year project dubbed Package of Essential Non-communicable Disease Interventions plus (PEN-plus) will target health workers in lower health facilities to increase the quality of services for severe chronic NCDs in communities.
The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Health, the Uganda Initiative for Integrated Management of Non-Communicable Diseases (UINCD) with funding from the Uganda Non-communicable Diseases and Injuries (NCDI) Poverty Network.
Speaking at the launch in Kampala yesterday, Dr Charles Oyoo Akiya, the commissioner for NCDs at the Ministry of Health, called for increased funding and collective action to combat the diseases.
“Curbing NCDs requires collective responsibility because of the very nature of the contributing factors. We need to address the diseases in our respective capacities, it’s not only the responsibility of the Ministry of Health,” he said.
Dr Ann Akiteng, the deputy director of UINCD, said they will start with a pilot project in health facilities in Kumi and Nakaseke districts before scaling it up countrywide.
“This PEN-plus project will address NCDs specifically type 1 diabetes, rheumatic heart disease, asthma and sickle cell disease. We are looking at strengthening capacity for detection and management of these conditions at the general hospital level so that these patients don’t need to be referred to distant facilities like Mulago,” she said.
According to a report presented by UINCD yesterday, the NCDs and injuries burden has doubled in the last two decades, now contributing 41 percent of deaths in the country.
Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, the director for public health services at the ministry, in his speech read by Dr Oyoo, called for embracing healthy diets which consist of fruits and vegetables, physical exercise and maintaining a healthy weight.
“These NCDs are contributing greatly to NCDs health care costs and out-of-pocket expenses due to the chronic nature of the conditions. They are also leading to premature deaths, worsening poverty situation and stretching the health system,” he said.
