President Museveni has decried the increasing threats of Non Communicable diseases in Uganda.
“I want to warn you about these diseases which are largely about lifestyle. These diseases are caused by inactivity coupled with over-eating. The good news is that they are easy to prevent. Adopt positive and healthy lifestyles, exercise more, and watch your diet. The increase in the cases of cancer, diabetes and heart-related diseases especially in urban areas is attributed to unhealthy lifestyles”.
The President made the remarks in a message to the family, friends, clergy, and parishioners of Kyemagwa, in Kalisizo, at the commissioning of a new health facility built by Cardinal Wamala’s friends and family.
The President who was represented by Vice President Jessica Alupo commended the family of
His Eminence Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, Archbishop Emeritus of Kampala, for constructing St.Cosma Kamaggwa Health Centre IV.
The launch of the facility coincided with the Catholic feast day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
“Your Eminence Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, I wish to applaud your spirited efforts to trigger the enlightenment and socio-economic transformation of communities. The commissioning of this Health Centre is a remarkable milestone. It will boost access to health care and treatment, for the surrounding communities”, read VP Alupo from the President’s speech. “I thank you for being supportive of the NRM’s efforts to transform Uganda. The NRM’s policy, on health, is premised on implementing a clear preventive strategy. This means minimizing the occurrence of diseases rather than concentrating on treatment or cure”, the President added.
Museveni said the disease prevention strategy has been carried out through prioritizing immunization, observing good hygiene, promoting of good nutrition, and fitness campaigns because
“a healthy population is an asset and a resource that spearheads economic and social development.”
He added that the focus of the NRM government, since 1986, has been to ensure that the people of Uganda are healthy and educated, by improving access to maternal health services; carrying out mass immunisation campaigns against killer diseases and an aggressive campaign against HIV/AIDS.
The President highlighted key statistics wherein 1987, 96,000 children were dying, in Uganda, per year, from the six preventable diseases – polio, whooping cough, measles, tetanus, tuberculosis and diphtheria. “By stopping those deaths, the population of Uganda has jumped from 14 million people in 1986 to 45 million people today,” the President stated.
He re-echoed the NRM’s message of wealth creation, at the household level saying Government has established a solid foundation for Uganda’s development and socio-economic transformation. “However”, he added, “development alone is not enough, though it must come first. Development is a collective good for everyone.
But wealth and jobs belong to individuals, families, groups or companies. There should not be spectators in the drive towards increasing the household incomes to make sure we eliminate subsistence farming”.
In her own brief remarks, Vice President Alupo said she had taken note of the issues raised regarding social services citing there-in, the Masaka-Kyotera Road that connects with Tanzania.
Commissioning of the health Centre was preceded by a mass animated by Rev Serverus Jjumba, the Bishop of Masaka Diocese.
Bishop Jjumba said the legacy project of St COSMA medical facility was introduced as a symbol of continuity from the family of His Eminence Cardinal to the community. It was named after his father and shared in tribute to his mother who was a cultural birth attendant.
Bishop Jjumba made an appeal for more doctors, saying Masaka which comprises 9 political districts has a population estimate of 2.3 million people, with 2 hospitals Kitovu and Villa Maria, 36 lower-level health units with an outreach of a mobile unit.
“We have run this with a budget of UGX 30bn. The two hospitals need specialised doctors-a surgeons and a physician who will be a big push to the region”.
Different religious leaders, papal knights, head of the laity Gervase Ndyanabo, friends of Bishops who were said to have spent time and resources contributing to various church activities and district, political and cultural leaders were also present.
