By Nakitandwe Rebecca Melisa
On 27th October 2020, Dr. Zikulah Namukwaya; the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) Advisor, on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) handed over items to the Commissioner for Youth and Child Affairs; Fred Ngabirano, and the Commissioner for Gender and Women; Ms Angella Nakafeero on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) at the Uganda Child Healthline in Kireka. The assortment of items including computers, office furniture, tents and other communication items procured with funding from The U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through Centers for Diseases Prevention and Control (CDC) will facilitate and strengthen operations at the SAUTI 116 call centre.
The MGLSD centre integrates GBV- support interventions into call centre services to comprehensively respond to cases of violence against women and children. GBV has been existent for many years in Uganda, and 6,000 cases of defilement were reported by the Uganda Police during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
“High-level violence against women, children and boys as well greatly affects different aspects of life including development and productivity. With the support from CDC through IDI, we are directly complimenting the government in implementing the National Development plan and for this we are grateful” Mr Fred Ngabirano, the Commissioner Youth and Children Affairs said.
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