Japan grants Shs1.3b to boost Uganda’s health services

The Embassy of Japan on Thursday gave Uganda a grant of more than Shs1.3 billion to strengthen her emergency and disaster prevention systems.
The funding is being availed under the Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), a scheme administered by the Embassy of Japan to support community-based development schemes.
From the funds, the Health ministry will receive 10 second-hand ambulances and five second-hand fire trucks from Japan. The vehicles will be allocated to three cities and eight districts including Kampala, Jinja, Masaka, Kapchorwa, Nebbi, Kalangala, Wakiso, Moyo, Luweero, Mpigi, and Kayunga to provide effective deployment to tackle health and fire related-challenges.
READ: Medical Association decries declining public funding
During yesterday’s signing of the contracts between the Health ministry and the Embassy of Japan in Kampala, the deputy Charge d’ Affaires of Japan to Uganda, Mr Yoshimura Tomotaka, said the awarding of the grant was done based on two crucial considerations.
Considerations
“One; is the needs and urgency of the project. Another is the management capacity of the organisation and in addition, the impact of the project on the community,” Mr Tomotaka said.
If the ambulances and fire trucks are maintained well, he said the Health ministry would then get another opportunity, for backing.
“Please remember to maintain the vehicles well. Our team will visit and check the vehicle’s condition two years after the handover. If you are taking good care of the vehicles, you might be able to get another opportunity,” Mr Tomotaka said.
On her part, the Permanent Secretary of the Health ministry, Dr Diana Atwine, lauded the Japanese government for being instrumental in supporting the health sector.
“Hope that this cooperation will continue. Our strategic direction as a country in emergency services is to really upgrade the level of our response to not just having ambulances alone but also have [them] on water, road, and air,” Dr Atwine said.