Standards and Regulations Stakeholders' meeting The standards and regulations for the private health sector pilot project is on-going and a stakeholders meeting is slated for Thursday 16th August 2012 at HIPS offices, Plot 6 Coppice Road, Lower Kololo at 2:30 pm. All private practitioners, hospitals, clinics, pharmaceutical owners are urged to attend. please contact us at uhfadministrator@ugandahips.com Thanks,

EBOLA OUTBREAK

Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever in Uganda On Saturday 28th July 2012 the Ministry of Health has confirmed that there is an outbreak of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever in Kibaale district, Midwestern Uganda. Laboratory investigations done at the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe confirmed that the “Strange Disease” reported in Kibaale was indeed Ebola hemorrhagic fever. So far a total of 20 cases with 14 deaths have been recorded. The index case was in Kibaale district. The latest news confirms that 2 cases have been reported in Kampala with one death occurring in hospital. I would like to disseminate this general information on the disease and implications for the general public. Transmission • The Ebola virus is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected persons. • Burial ceremonies where mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can play a significant role in the transmission of Ebola. • The infection of human cases with Ebola virus through the handling of infected animals especially primates has been documented. • Health care workers have frequently been infected while treating Ebola patients, through close contact without correct infection control precautions and adequate barrier nursing procedures. Incubation period: 2 to 21 days. Symptoms Ebola is characterized by: • Initially; sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. • This is then by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. • Laboratory findings show low counts of white blood cells and platelets as well as elevated liver enzymes. Diagnosis Specialized laboratory tests on blood specimens detect specific antigens and/or genes of the virus. Antibodies to the virus can be detected, and the virus can be isolated in cell culture. Tests on samples present an extreme biohazard risk and should only be conducted under maximum biological containment conditions. Testing is available at CDC lab in Entebbe. Treatment and vaccine • No specific treatment or vaccine is yet available for Ebola haemorrhagic fever. Containment • Suspected cases should be isolated from other patients and strict barrier nursing techniques implemented. • Tracing and follow up of people who may have been exposed to Ebola through close contact with patients are essential. • All hospital staff should be briefed on the nature of the disease and its transmission routes. Particular emphasis should be placed on ensuring that invasive procedures such as the placing of intravenous lines and the handling of blood, secretions, catheters and suction devices are carried out under strict barrier nursing conditions. Hospital staff should have individual gowns, gloves, masks and goggles. Non-disposable protective equipment must not be reused unless they have been properly disinfected. • Infection may also spread through contact with the soiled clothing or bed linens from a patient with Ebola. Disinfection is therefore required before handling these items. • Communities affected by Ebola should make efforts to ensure that the population is well informed, both about the nature of the disease itself and about necessary outbreak containment measures, including burial of the deceased. People who have died from Ebola should be promptly and safely buried. Contacts • As the primary mode of person-to-person transmission is contact with contaminated blood, secretions or body fluids, people who have had close physical contact with patients should be kept under strict surveillance. Their body temperature should be checked twice a day, with immediate hospitalization and strict isolation in case of the onset of fever. • Hospital staffs that come into close contact with patients or contaminated materials without barrier nursing attire must be considered as contacts and followed up accordingly. Recommendations Avoid travelling to affected areas. Use private means as far as possible; if not, avoid the crowded ones have on long sleeved clothing. Keep away from crowded areas or public gatherings such as markets, the park, discotheques etc. Avoid touching inanimate surfaces; keep your hands to yourself! Eat out only from trusted places • Carry hand sanitizers, wash/sanitize stuff from supermarkets • Report all suspected cases especially individuals who have travelled to affected areas • Beware that travelling out of Uganda at the moment might cause you embarrassment at some strict airports although no travel ban has been made yet.

Private Sector Health Common Fund (PSHCF) Charity Golf Tournament

The PSHCF has organized a charity golf tournament to fund raise for its activities a bid to improve the private health sector this Friday 20th of June 2012. Please endeavour to attend. Lots of fun and high end contacts in the Private sector. See you there

Standards and Regulations Pilot Project

UHF/HIPS working on the pilot study with Dr. Joel Okullo as the consultant. We are committed to improving the private healthcare sector in all spheres. Regards,

3RD BOARD MEETING/ UHF STREAMLINING MEETING 21ST JUNE 2012- PROTEA HOTEL- 2:00-5:00 pm AGENDA 1. Welcome, introductions and apologies 2. Review and confirmation of previous minutes 3. Chairman’s remarks 4. Standards and Regulations Pilot Project Presentation - Dr. Joel Okullo 5. Development Credit Authority-USAID- Dr. Dithan Kiragga/ Ms. Diana Konga 6. Advertising- Dr. Katumba Ssentongo, Registrar 7. Progress of PPPH- Dr. Timothy Musila 8. Regulation of Medical Insurance Facility Based Health Plan Providers- Dr. Patrick Luwaga 9. Foundation of the Private Sector Health Common Fund(PSHCF)- Dr. Ian Clarke /Ms. Joanita Lwanga 10. East African Healthcare Federation Conference draft report- Dr. Ian Clarke 11. Report from the Tanzania conference- Ms. Joanita Lwanga 12. Progress on registration of EAHF – Dr. Ian Clarke 13. Implications for the health sector from 2012-2013 budget- Dr. Ian Clarke/ Dr. Ben Mbonye 14. A.O.B

UHF BOARDMEETING/MAINSTREAMING MEETING

Dear Members, UHF will hold their quarterly meeting on Thursday, 21st June 2012, the place and agenda will be communicated later. Please reserve that date on your calendars. Thank you and will keep you updated. Regards, Angellah

Happy Women's Day?

MPs challenge sh75b loan for women hospital at Mulago

By Henry Sekanjako

The Parliament's committee on national economy has rejected a proposal to borrow $30.28m (sh75.7b) for financing the construction of a specialized women hospital for maternal and neonatal health care at Mulago hospital.

The proposed loan is to be secured from the Islamic Development Bank.

The women hospital project valued at sh75.7b, is expected to be operational by 2017 to reduce the number of in-hospital maternity and neonatal deaths by 25%.

Speaking during a meeting with ministry of health officials on Thursday at Parliament, the lawmakers argued that government needed to extend maternal health services to regional referral hospitals and not only Mulago hospital.

The MPs also contended that Parliament had just approved money for the rehabilitation of Mulago hospital and suggested that the money instead be used to expand regional referral hospitals to decongest Mulago.

"The women of this country need to benefit but this issue of putting everything at Mulago should stop and extend health services to other parts of the country where the poor cannot afford private medical care. Why not consider areas like Jinja, Gulu where women are most affected," said Steven Bakka (Bukhooli).

Moses Balyeku (Jinja Municipality west) said: "I am not going to be part of this loan; I will decampaign it. We have done enough for Mulago hospital and so it's time for other hospitals to benefit also. We passed a loan for the rehabilitation of Mulago, why didn't you budget for this as well".

"Majority of the poor women are in rural areas where there are little structures so government should consider extending such services to rural areas for the poor people to benefit," added Mariam Nalubega (Butambala).

‘Split the money’

The committee chaired by Bulisa County MP Steven Mukitaale proposed that government considers splitting the money to benefit all regional referral hospitals country wide.

"This money should be split to cover the whole country and not only Mulago. How do you expect pregnant women to travel all the way from Gulu to Mulago in Kampala?” noted Julius Maganda (Samia Bugwe south).

However Dr. Henry Mwebasa, commissioner in charge of quality assurance in Ministry of Health said having the loan split would affect their plan since the borrowers may decide to withdraw.

"We are on course of upgrading all other regional referral hospitals but there is no way we can have this loan split. We beg that you help us reconsider your position and endorse this money," Mwebasa pleaded before the committee.

The committee asked the Ministry of Health to go back on the drawing board and include other regional referral hospitals ahead of the final meeting with the parliament's committee on social services next week.