WHO, KOICA hands over medical equipment to improve service delivery in the Busoga sub-region

Ministry of Health today has received from the World Health Organization and the Korea International Cooperation Agency a package of medical equipment designed to improve reproductive, maternal, and newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) service delivery in five districts of the Busoga sub-region.

With funding from KOICA through WHO, the medical equipment worth 1.5 million United States Dollars is intended to equip 30 health facilities in the targeted districts of Bugiri, Buyende, Kamuli, Iganga, and Mayuge. The equipment includes 30 solar lighting systems, 30 solar vaccine refrigerators and water pack freezers, 90 stove top sterilizers, 90 resuscitators for adult, child, and neonatal sets, 90 normal delivery sets, 90 digital baby scales, 90 infant weighing scales, 90 Delivery Beds, 90 Wheelchairs, 90 Examination Beds and 90 Oxygen Concentrators.

“I welcome the support of the Government of the Republic of Korea and the people of Korea, KOICA, and WHO in procuring this essential medical equipment, as they will strengthen our effort to end preventable maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent deaths in the country,” said Hon. Margaret Muhanga, Uganda’s Minister of State for Health in charge of Primary Health Care.

Echoing the same appreciation, Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, the WHO Representative to Uganda said that “the provision of these medical supplies is in line with our vision to improve the country’s health system to meet the needs of its population.” He expressed gratitude for the partnership with the Republic of Korea, KOICA, and the Ugandan government as he underlined WHO’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s health system.

His Excellency, Park Sung-Soo, the Korean Ambassador in Uganda, reiterated his government’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s health sector noting that “through KOICA, the Government of Korea is committed to contributing to the achievement of the Ministry of Health’s vision of ending preventable maternal new-born, child, and adolescent deaths by improving the health infrastructure, supporting capacity building of health workers and enhancing school health.”

The consignment of medical equipment being handed over today has been procured under the project – Health System Strengthening for Improving RMNCAH service delivery. The project has been implemented since 2020 in five districts of the Busoga sub-region including Bugiri, Buyende, Iganga, Kamuli, and Mayuge.

Under this project, WHO and KOICA procured seven ambulances that have improved the referrals of patients. Working with the Ministry of Health, they have also built the capacities of over 1500 health workers to provide quality reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health services.

Moving forward, the Government of Korea through KOICA and WHO will embark on the refurbishment of 30 health facilities by renovating some sections, improving water harvesting systems, and installing motorized boreholes.