Uganda has been ranked 10th in complying with international health regulations out of one hundred and ninety-six countries in the world.
The remarks were made during the launch of a joint evaluation process of Uganda’s compliance with the International Health Regulations held by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health aimed at assessing Uganda’s compliance with the International Health Regulations on September 21, 2023, at the Sheraton Hotel, Kampala.
The second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) for the International Health Regulations is a multi-sectoral undertaking coordinated by the Office of the Prime Minister.
While at the meeting, first Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, who represented the Prime Minister, noted that this evaluation of the country’s health systems is a move in the right direction to guide on the gaps and areas that need improvement.
“The move is an instrument of international law that is legally binding on 190 countries, Uganda included, looking at 19 thematic areas like health policies, health safety, and security for workers and travellers, including cross-border health measures,” Kadaga said.
Dr. Dan Kyabayinze, the Public Health Director at the Ministry of Health, said that the JEE is aimed at assessing the capacities Uganda has built over the years to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to health emergencies of international concern.
In 2017, Uganda held its first JEE, which assessed the country’s responsiveness to health emergencies.
The Minister for Labour, Gender, and Social Development, Hon. Betty Amongi, the Minister for Security, Hon. Jim Muhwezi, and technical officers from the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, as well as partners, were in attendance.
