Uganda Integrates Adolescent Health to Withstand Funding Gaps

Facing unpredictable funding and the withdrawal of international development partners, Uganda’s Ministry of Health is institutionalizing adolescent healthcare services. This proactive approach seeks to guarantee the sustainability of crucial programs that support the nation’s large youth population.

A significant development is the incorporation of District Committees on Adolescent Health (DICAH) into the performance assessments conducted by the Office of the Prime Minister. This integration aims to keep youth health interventions a priority for local governments, even as external funding diminishes.

According to Mr. Allan Kasozi, a senior medical officer, the ministry is moving away from relying on standalone, donor-funded projects. Instead, the focus is on building the capacity of all healthcare personnel within public facilities. The goal is that any healthcare worker can address an adolescent’s needs, not just designated focal persons.

“If you’re going to conduct a training, it’s no longer about focal persons at given service points, but that everyone at that service point should be able to respond to an adolescent’s health needs,” Mr. Kasozi stated at a recent forum in Kampala.

This strategic shift is happening against a backdrop of reduced public spending, with the health sector budget seeing a decrease. Uganda has a significant demographic challenge, with millions of adolescents and young adults needing comprehensive health services. Civil society advocates highlight that donor-funded projects have been instrumental in empowering marginalized groups, including refugees and youth with disabilities, enabling them to voice their needs directly.

Ms. Patricia Alena Namiwamba, a visually impaired university student, shared how rights training empowered her to understand and engage with local budget allocations, advocating for disability-inclusive healthcare. The Ministry’s new strategy aims to ensure such progress continues by linking adolescent health outcomes to official accountability frameworks.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda) https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/uganda-institutionalises-adolescent-healthcare-to-survive-budget-cuts-donor-exit-5576386