His Excellency, President Kaguta Museveni on Monday met and held discussions with the Gavi Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Sania Nishtar and her team who are in the country.
Dr. Sania Nishtar is on her maiden visit to Uganda to commemorate 50 years of the Expanded Program for Immunization.
During the meeting in State House Entebbe, issues affecting immunisation of children and strategies to improve the program were discussed.
The President appreciated Gavi and the donors for boosting the health sector which has helped the government to prioritise its resources in the development of other key sectors.
“Without the international support, we would have to do it ourselves but that means we have to divert our resources that would have been used in other areas like roads and others. You have liberated our resources to do other things.”
President Museveni also reiterated Uganda’s commitment in supporting Gavi programs by adhering to fulfil its 20% co-financing obligation on vaccines, but urging the line ministries and the local government to carry out massive sensitization on nutrition, noting that 7% of the annual total deaths are a result of non-communicable diseases.
Dr. Nishtar appreciated President Museveni’s partnership, noting that “You should be proud that your country is one of the few East African Countries that has high life expectancy; you have effectively controlled outbreaks.”
As far as immunisation is concerned, in recognition of the collective efforts to save and improve countless lives from vaccine-preventable diseases, Dr. Nishtar spoke highly of Uganda, having utilised the vaccines and antigen in children that will protect the next generations.
She further emphasised that Uganda is going to be the first country to launch the largest malaria program in the whole world.
Dr Nishtar later officiated the celebrations of 50 Years of Expanded Program for Immunization at Katoogo Health Center III in Mukono, aimed at celebrating the success of the immunization program and charting a way forward to ensure no child misses out vaccination.
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