EBOLA FIGHT: How Uganda Will Use $2m from Swedish Government

The Government of Sweden will contribute $2m to UNICEF to support response to the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in Uganda.

UNICEF will utilize the $2m over five months to support the immediate priorities of the Government of Uganda’s national Sudan EVD plan.

Focus will be on Kampala Capital City, its five divisions, and the districts of Mbale and Jinja.

The focus of the response will include activities on intensified sustained risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and other needs such as nutrition and mental health and psychosocial support.

With this funding, UNICEF together with Ministry of Health and other partners will strengthen efforts to sustain coordination efforts at the sub national level and prevent the spread of EVD.

Specifically, UNICEF will also collaborate with Government and partners to intensify targeted Risk Communication and Community Engagement to ensure that communities are aware of Ebola prevention measures, recognize signs and symptoms and are able to seek early care and/or report suspected cases to interrupt transmission in communities.

Up to 8.1 million people are expected to benefit, both directly and indirectly, from the interventions.

Benjamin Dousa, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, revealed the new funding during a recent visit to Kawempe National Referral Hospital in Kampala, where UNICEF is contributing to the delivery of quality maternal and newborn care health services with funding from Sweden.

Sweden has supported in response to previous outbreaks of Ebola in Uganda.

“We are glad to partner with UNICEF to again provide critical support to the response to the ongoing outbreak in Uganda,” said Dousa.

“Sweden’s contribution will strengthen the Government of Uganda and local systems at national, sub national and community level for timely prevention and response.”

The UNICEF Representative to Uganda, Dr. Robin Nandy, thanked the Government of Sweden for the new funding and sustained relationship over the years which has contributed to building stronger health systems and ending preventable deaths especially of children and mothers in Uganda.

He particularly thanked the Government of Sweden for supporting emergency responses, including during the Coronavirus Disease (Covid19) pandemic, including mass vaccinations, reopening of schools and the re-entry of pregnant and teenage mothers to school.

”With the Swedish Government funding, our critical support to the Government of Uganda’s response plan will be strengthened. We believe that a sustained integrated response will result in the containment of the outbreak, saving the lives of children, women and their families,” Dr. Nandy said.

UNICEF contributions in the on-going national Sudan EVD plan include supporting the establishment of emergency treatment and isolation units in Mulago National Referral Hospital and Mbale City which provide immediate life-saving treatment and care for Ebola patients, supporting the initial provision of food and milk for affected children in Mulago emergency treatment unit, and provision of critical support for risk communication and community engagement activities.

Other areas include support for vaccination rollout, provision of lifesaving supplies, co-chairing the Ministry of Health Risk Communication and Social Mobilization pillar, co-chairing the Continuity of Essential Health Services pillar, supporting 15 locum staff at Mulago National Referral Hospital to ensure continued delivery of health services and care for Ebola patients, distributing hand washing units and liquid soap in the two Ebola treatment and isolation units, and rehabilitation of water supply system in Mbale Ebola Isolation Centre.

It is also helping in the provision of mental health and psychosocial support to children in isolation centres and supported reintegration in communities.

Additional Reporting: Courtesy

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