CDC boss hails Uganda, US health partnership

The director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr Rochelle Walensky, has lauded the partnership between the US and Uganda  governments in health and other medical fields, saying it has benefitted the people of Uganda.

Dr Walnesky, who has been on official visit in the country, said it demonstrates the continued importance of the partnership in advancing global health security.

“The CDC values the long and close partnership it maintains with Uganda’s Ministry of Health and our many strong partners like the Infectious Disease Institute, Baylor Uganda, the Uganda Virus Research Institute, The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO), and many more,” Dr Walensky said during a press conference in Entebbe at the weekend.

During her tour, she met with government counterparts and visited partners working on HIV service delivery, public health workforce development, public health emergency response, and global health security, among others.  

Dr Walensky also interacted with some of the women making advancements in medicine and public health, and setting an example on the importance of Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) education for girls and young women. 

She also visited the Mpondwe border area, where local and World Health Organisation (WHO) public health officials identified Ebola cases in 2019 and successfully prevent community spread in Uganda.

The US ambassador to Uganda, Ms Natalie E. Brown, said her home government will continue to support Uganda’s health sector through both technical and financial support.

“The US Mission could not be prouder of the results of the over 30-year collaboration between the CDC and Uganda’s Ministry of Health. Dedicated Ugandan health leaders, with the combined support from the CDC, collaborating US agencies, and local partners, have saved lives and prevented infections in Uganda,” Ms Brown said.

She said the CDC through the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief supports more than 700,000 Ugandans living with HIV to receive free care and treatment services. 

“This collaboration has made substantial gains in strengthening health systems, advancing science-based public health initiatives, and enhancing capacity for surveillance, early identification, and control of epidemics and other disease threats, including Covid-19,” the ambassador added.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focuses on expert exchange and joint problem solving to address long-standing health challenges, like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, as well as new threats such as  Covid-19. 

In 2021 report presented in December last year, the US Mission in Uganda said it spent up to $953 million (Shs3.7 trillion) in US assistance to Uganda in 2020. 

Of this, $517m(Shs2 trillion) went to the health sector support, $13m (Shs50b) went for promotion of justice and democracy in support of a more inclusive, empowered, and literate society, $60m (Shs233b) to support economic growth, especially in agriculture, and $206m (Shs800b) went to support to Uganda to host 1.4 million refugees.

US aid to Uganda

The US government plays a key role in improving health outcomes by strengthening Uganda’s capacity to sustainably address emerging health threats, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal/child health, family planning, and HIV/Aids (including by providing anti-retroviral treatment for more than 1.2 million Ugandans.  

The assistance also focuses on boosting economic growth and agricultural productivity, including through improving educational outcomes; and supporting democratic governance through inclusive, accountable institutions. The US mission is working with the government to improve tax collection and oil revenue management, and to increase Uganda’s domestic funding for public services and the national response to HIV/Aids.