General
Kasese leaders trained on using One Health Approach to respond to community health concerns
Over 20 Local Government Administrators in Kasese District together with Wildlife Personnel from Queen Elizabeth National Park have been trained on how to use the One Health Approach to respond to community health concerns. This was at the Leadership Capacity Building in Disease Prevention, Detection and Response held on 30th April -3rd May 2019 at Nyaika Hotel Fort Portal.
The One Health is a collaborative, multi-sectoral, and multidisciplinary approach that focuses on achieving optimal health outcomes by recognizing the interconnection between people animals, plants and their shared environment.
The idea has been embraced globally by World Health Organizations (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), World Organizations for Animals (OIE) under the Health and Global Security Agenda (GHSA) as a strategy for promoting the collaborative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals and environment.
One Health Central and Eastern Africa (OHCEA) is a network of 16 universities in 8 countries in Eastern, Central and Western African region. Makerere University School of Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (COVAB) and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) are focal points for the network in Uganda. Prof. William Bazeyo, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration- Makerere University is the Principal Investigator.
The Leadership Capacity Building in Disease Prevention, Detection and Response for Local Government Administrators in Kasese District and Wildlife Personnel from Queen Elizabeth National Park was organized by Makerere University School of Public Health (Mak-SPH) and College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (COVAB) with support from One Health Central and Eastern Africa (OHCEA) in partnership with the USAID-funded One Health Workforce (OHW) project.
The training focused on;
- Introducing the multi-sectoral or one health strategy at district level to foster collaboration amongst entities called upon to prevent and respond to events of public health concern
- Demonstrating multi-sectoral or one health skills necessary to foster leadership, communication, collaboration and partnership within and across districts in addressing outbreaks and other complex health challenges
- Documenting, for the purpose of harmonization and coordination, district level outbreak response procedures, communication and actions including the dissemination of underlying and governing laws, legal texts and administrative directives in collaboration with the National Task Forces or National Disaster Risk Reduction Committees
- Identifying hazards of local, national and foreign origin threatening the health and well- being of communities and;
- Preparing district officers and wild life officers to develop a response plan relevant for their communities.
It was a pilot training through which, participants while sharing their daily experiences in working groups appreciated the role of multi-sectoral collaboration or the One Health approach in managing health related challenges in communities. During the interactive sessions that were held for four days, participants learnt how to identify and prioritize health risks or hazards in communities; prepare risk/disaster/hazard response plans; harness technical expertise collaboratively across technical departments of health, agriculture, natural resources, education, and the administrative departments.
Interestingly, disease outbreaks (human and animal), floods, plant diseases and pests ranked highly among the challenges with a great impact on the communities.
According to Dr. Peninah Nsamba-a lecturer at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Biosecurity, Makerere University (COVAB), the training also enabled participants to understand the roles of Local Government leaders in relation to health risks, and hazards.
“It is getting clearer that solving a complex health problem requires multidisciplinary, multi-sectoral expertise and cooperation such as the one health approach. This training is re-positioning leaders to solve local challenges using a number of multi-disciplinary approaches. The One Health approach holds a lot of promise in mitigating public health threats,” she said.
The collaborative communication, community and resource mobilization during outbreaks, hazards and disasters were also among the critical areas that were discussed.
Over the past years, Kasese district has experienced frequent hazards and disasters such as disease outbreaks, floods, landslides, among others; that have resulted in deaths, damage to property and loss of livelihoods. This has been attributed to the strategic location of Kasese and the activities that are carried out within the district.
Located in Western part of Uganda, Kasese District is a hilly area with five major rivers; Rwimi, Mubuku, Nyamwamba, Nyamughasani and Lhubiriha. The area is predominantly agricultural, relying on farming for employment and income. Kasese district also has industrial potential with two operational mining operations currently mining sulphur, copper and cobalt at Kilembe. Additionally, the area houses Queen Elizabeth National park- one of the biggest national parks in Uganda. The District also boarders the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a presentation he made on, The Overview of One Health Concept: Contribution of the Administrators and Social Scientists, Dr. Paul Ssajjakambwe remarked that the relationship between people, plants, animals, ecosystem and environment in Kasese is so strong and this has rendered the district vulnerable to health risks and hazards. According to Dr. Ssajjakambwe Kasese district has been hit by disease outbreaks such as Cholera, Ebola, Typhoid and Anthrax due to the misuse of agro chemicals, animal-human contamination, floods, environment pollution, and Congo-Kasese boarder interactions.
“The impact, these hazards have left on humans, the economy, especially agriculture, and ecosystems calls for a collective and collaborative approach to find solutions,” he said.
During the opening ceremony that was held on 30th May 2019, at Nyaika Hotel in Fort Portal, the Resident District Commissioner of Kasese District Lt. Joe Walusimbi commended OHCEA and Makerere University for choosing Kasese as one of the pioneer districts in implementing the One Health Approach.
“With my team, we are ready to learn how we can bring sectors of wild and domestic life, environment, eco-system, and human life on board to forge a collaborative solution for the looming health hazards and disasters in our district. If we can have a tool that can bring together these various respective sectors to solve the health problems, we shall have achieved much,” he said.
On behalf of participants, Lt. Walusimbi thanked Makerere University for initiating the capacity building in the in-service government workers that is going to positively impact Kasese Community.
The departments that participated in the training were; Office of the; the Resident District Commissioner, Chief Administrative Officer; District Planning, Town Clerk, Mayor and the District Chairperson. Departments included; Health, Veterinary, Agriculture, Education, Natural Resources and Water.
The Leadership Capacity Building in Disease Prevention, Detection and Response for Local Government Administrators in Kasese District and Wildlife Personnel from Queen Elizabeth National Park will be concluded on Friday 3rd May 2019. At the end of the training, participants are expected to have mapped out the priority risks in their communities and developed a tool that will guide them while implementing the One Health Approach.
OHCEA is a network of 16 universities in 8 countries in Eastern and Central Africa. Makerere University School of Public Health, COVAB and Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology are focal points for the network in Uganda. Prof. William Bazeyo (Deputy Vice Chancellor F/A is the Principal Investigator.
Article by Nabatte Proscovia, Mak Public Relations Office.
The Board Chairperson of the Makerere University Endowment Fund (MakEF), Dr. Margaret Blick Kigozi, has urged graduands in Health and Life Sciences to uphold professional ethics and serve humanity with diligence and compassion.
Her appeal came during the passing out of graduates from the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-Security (CoVAB), the College of Health Sciences (CHS) and the School of Public Health (SPH) on Day Two of the 76th Graduation Ceremony of Makerere University.
“Class of 2026, you are now part of the Makerere legacy. Wherever you go clinics, laboratories, farms, boardrooms, or classrooms, you carry this institution with you. Serve your patients with skill and compassion. Care for animals and communities responsibly. Question boldly and keep learning,” Dr Kigozi, said.
Delivering the commencement address, Dr. Kigozi lauded the graduates for their dedication to careers that directly impact lives and communities. She encouraged them to use their knowledge generously and exercise their power gently.
“Your education has trained you to ask better questions. Your humanity must guide the answers. Never forget that behind every chart, every case, every animal, every experiment, there is life. And life deserves care, patience, and dignity. Give every person you come in contact with care, patience and dignity,” Dr Kigozi, noted.
As the graduates embark on their professional journeys, Dr. Kigozi emphasized the importance of cultivating basic business acumen and financial literacy to ensure sustainability in their work.
“You do not need to become accountants but you must be able to read the essentials: understand simple financial statements, budgets and key metrics so you can judge whether a clinic, lab, or program is sustainable. You are encouraged to start your business. There are numerous investment opportunities in your areas of training. You can provide services to our people and create jobs,” Dr Kigozi, said.
She shared candidly how, when she first stepped into leadership, she realised she did not understand balance sheets or budgets well enough. So, she returned to Makerere for short courses to strengthen herself.
“A well-run Hospital, clinic or lab delivers better outcomes, attracts staff, and secures funding. Business savvy is not only about profit, it’s about sustainability and the freedom to serve ethically and effectively. Carry clinical skill with business sense so your work endures and grows,” Dr. Kigozi, noted.
Quoting renowned writer and producer Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey’s Anatomy, who once reflected that succeeding in one area of life can sometimes mean falling short in another, Dr. Kigozi encouraged women graduates to intentionally balance professional ambition with family responsibilities.
“When one area thrives, another is often under strain. When Navio was graduating from school I had to manage the Presidential Investor Round Table on the same day as Executive Director Uganda Investment Authority. I chose my job and delegated his siblings to attend Navios graduation. I learnt from this. I choose family always after that thing you achieve once and keep forever,” Dr Kigozi, said.
In his speech, the Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor, informed the congregation that Makerere’s ranking on all university ranking platforms has remained stable, placing Makerere among the top 10 African universities and within the top 4.5% globally.
“In the Times Higher Education global ranking, Makerere University made a formidable jump from the 1200-1500 bracket to the 800-1000 bracket. This was no mean achievement and I congratulate all members of the Makerere Community on this stellar performance,” Prof Nawangwe, said.
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