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Youth Envoys Trained to Promote Family Planning During COVID 19 Pandemic
Family planning (FP), initiatives among youths in Uganda, will encourage wider contraceptive use with young people acting as “envoys” for reproductive health and rights during the 42 days lockdown.
Leaders Fear Less Girls May Return to School after 42 Days Lockdown
Against this background, RHU is partnering with the district administration to implement the Advanced Family Planning (AFP) Initiative, to curb Violence against Women and Girls and promoting Family Planning in the district.
Leaders Fear Less Girls May Return to School after Lockdown (more…)
ACCESS Project Offers Free Sexual and Reproductive Health Services
ACCESS Project Offers Free Sexual and Reproductive Health Services
Several vulnerable and underserved people have benefited from the project in the districts of Kikuube and Hoima. Reproductive Health Uganda runs the project.
Family Planning Use on the Increase in Lango Sub Region
Reproductive Health Uganda, links the increase in use of long-term Family Planning methods to campaigns done by Advanced Family Planning Initiative with stakeholders.
INVITATION OF QUOTATION FOR SALES BIDS
Reproductive Health Uganda(RHU) a Not for Profit NGO is selling off One Million Two Hundred Thousand vials of water for injection (Otsuka BP 10ML Vial) all in one lot. RHU, therefore, is seeking for bidders interested in purchasing the said water for injection. Interested bidders are requested to submit their bids containing their offer price per vial including documentary evidence showing that the interested bidder is authorized by NDA to deal in pharmaceuticals. The bids can be emailed to rhu@rhu.or.ug. The bid should not be submitted later than 5:00 p.m. of Tuesday 28th September, 2021.
Click links below to download related documents
Water for sale and date of expiry
RHU reserves the right to award or not to award a tender to any of the parties that participate in this call for bids.
***Attached picture is only for advertising purposes and not necessarily what is being sold off.
MAJOR WIN: HOIMA DISTRICT GAZZETS 19TH NOVEMBER AS MEN’S DAY
HOIMA DISTRICT GAZZETS 19TH NOVEMBER AS MEN’S DAY
Hoima has become the first district in Uganda to set aside a special day to celebrate MEN. The motion was moved in the council sitting yesterday, approved and confirmed today during the third (3rd ) Men’s day celebration in Hoima.
The council will every year plan and set aside a special budget to celebrate the Men’s day. The motion was officially submitted by the Hon. Bermandette Plan, the secretary social Services -Hoima district and was unanimously seconded.
The day will be celebrated every year to;
- Recognise and promote man’s involvement in achieving gender equality and SRHR
- Promote positive health seeking behaviour among men
- Give a chance to discuss issues affecting men
- Encourage gender equality
- A day to put a focus to discrimination
“This achievement is important because men are key players in attaining gender equality” Said Nancy Apio, the Gender coordinator. “It is not just a women’s conversation and it helps men to attain positive masculinity and break the male dominance and associated violence” she added.
RHU’s Contribution:
RHU has been mobilising men in communities to become role models and the same champions later pushed to have this day gazetted. We have also been carrying out capacity building for men and women on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Hoima District
We are excited about the evident contribution in empowering men and women in the communities to demand, advocate and enjoy their rights and promote gender equality.
Special appreciation to the Danish Family Planning Association, the International Planned Parenthood Federation and other partners for their contribution on empowering communities
#IUDUg20 is HERE!!!! Are you Ready>?
Are you ready for the #IUDUg20???
Theme
“COVID-19 and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights in Higher Learning Institutions Navigating Uncertainties”.
ABOUT THE IUD
Since 2014, Reproductive Health Uganda, in conjunction with Makerere University and State and Non state actors organizes the Inter University Dialogue on Sexuality. This dialogue and dissenting platform sponsors policy dialogue between decision makers and Young people in higher institutions of learning directly in a renewed call to action to accelerate efforts to promote adolescent health programing in learning institutions. Relatedly , it aspires to promote Sexual health as a fundamental human right to all people’s including Young People. 2,000 participants virtually and 50 participants physically reached from across Higher institutions of learning in Uganda including Students, top academics, health professionals and media.
Context
Notably ,Limited access to SRHR services and information during COVID-19 is ,and will continue to fuel uncertainties, uninformed sexual decisions and choices, increasing unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions putting several lives of many young people in higher learning institutions at risk. This pandemic is presenting complete lockdown of both public and private learning institutions increasing inequality and vulnerabilities of the poor especially young people. It continues to illuminate the several gaps that exist in policies, service provision, and information access, especially for several young people in higher learning institutions since condoms, contraceptive pills and many SRH commodities and services have been deemed non-essential ,therefore became a luxury.
Evidently, Uganda institutions of higher learning from several studies indicating that University Students aged 18-24 years face many sexual and reproductive health challenges, spiritual and emotional, conflicting cultural norms and practices as well as modernization challenges.
According to UNESCO’s Situational analysis report on sexuality education and ASRH in universities and Tertiary institutions (2018), overall 69% of university students are sexually active with a higher proportion among males. 64% of university students had their first sexual encounter at the age of 18-24 years, ideally the average period of a university education. Additionally, there is inadequate information on the level of access to sexuality education and SRH services by University students in Uganda.
Relatedly ,Ugandan Government has made tremendous effort to date and has put in place several policy provisions as well as actions to address adolescent health concerns including; Uganda National Youth Policy, 2016, The National Strategy to end child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancy, ( 2014/2015 – 2019/2020), Adolescent Health Policy Guidelines and Service Standards (Third Edition, 2011), National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (2015/2016- 2019/2020), Presidential Fast Track Initiative on Ending HIV/AIDS by 2030, One dollar initiative Uganda
However Government policy aspirations remain unachieved, with several adolescent health related policies and guidelines remaining in draft, contested, unfunded and un operational for years. For example, The National Framework on Sexuality Education in Uganda (2018-2023)-currently contested and not operational. The National school Health Policy-in draft since 2001-unfunded, not operational. The National Health Policy for Adolescents, 2018 currently in draft, contested.
Aspirations
- To continue provide an open Safe space where young people critically voice, reflect and share their lived realities with key stakeholders on SRHR services access during COVID-19 .
Objectives
- To examine challenges and strategic way forward in addressing Sexual Health uncertainties within Uganda’s higher institutions of learning.
- To reflect on emerging evidence for SRHR advocacy issues to the COVID-19 pandemic responses.
- To enable actors at various levels to understand and commit to their roles/responsibilities in promoting SRHR for better health outcomes.
Outcomes
- A more empowered group of young people with increased knowledge, skills and tools to act and influence favorable policies on SRHR in Uganda
- Enhanced commitment and momentum for accelerated action. together beyond the dialogue.
- Expansion of key partnerships to deliver accelerated action.
- An electronic record of the keynote addresses and panel discussions, and the accelerated action plans developed and agreed to within the dialogue contributed to by all those who join in.
Methodology
- Shared Self-recorded voices of diverse University students on SRHR Challenges during COVID19
- Running real time online engagement to inform the discussions for those participants that will not be invited to physically attend.
- Key Speeches from Key note speaker and Guest of Honor
- Panel /Open discussions and paper presentations Edutainment
- Audio-Visual live TV streaming /#IUDUg19Live (Live broadcasts on RHRN and RHU social media Platforms)
- Exhibition booth and brand promotion
- Press briefing with various media houses
#IUDUg20 will take place both Virtually and Physical on Saturday November 21st, 2020, from 10:00am – 1:00pm (EAT) at the Auditorium, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Makerere University Please register early and plan to join in the dialogue on time on https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d87tXnwbQuqYJA4VGKNGAw .More details and program will be sent later, Contact ; Alex Craig Kiwanuka, Youth Officer-RHU, Dialogue Coordinator ,+256755488988, ackiwanuka@rhu.or.ug
RHU SCOOPS BIG AT THE PRESTIGIOUS 2020 FIRE AWARDS
RHU SCOOPS BIG AT THE PRESTIGIOUS 2020 FIRE AWARDS
Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) was last evening crowned champions (NGO category) of the prestigious, 2020 Integrated Financial Reporting (FiRe) Awards, held on Wednesday November 04th/2020 at Skyz Hotel, Naguru.
Unlike the previous editions, this year’s awards were held virtually in light of the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.
Wilberforce Ojiambo, the director of finance at RHU attributes this achievement to team work and coordination at RHU. RHU has been one of the top contenders of this award in the previous years, taking lead for now the record 3rd time.
“Over time, we have continuously improved the quality of our reporting and built on the comments from the organizers to make things better. So much so that every other subsequent report is better than the previous ones in one aspect or the other” added Ojiambo.
According ICPAU our report was considered great based on the following parameters.
o Effective communication and presentation of the program and financial information
o Excellent presentation and outlook of the report including great graphics.
o Innovations including developing and sustaining growth in grant income, local income and institutional reserves.
o Ability to provide services to the locals including the most vulnerable members of the community.
o Ability to attract new development partners and also increase the asset base.
o Comprehensiveness including our ability to report on all functional aspects and departments of the institution.
Wilberforce stated that the award was of great importance and would the institution to:
- Gain confidence from the external audit teams
- Motivation for the institution to settle for clean and unqualified audits
- Work as a drive for continuous improvement in general reporting
- Greatly enhance RHU’s status during due diligence processes by new partners aspiring to work with us.
- Provided confidence for participation in related awards such as the Finance Team of the year, where we emerged runners up last year.
“We are indeed motivated and encouraged by these results and do promise to continue delivering on the same.” Says Wilberforce
The RHU finance team receiving the award
President of ICPAU, Mr.Fredrick Wanumeli thanked the participants and the organisations that submitted their annual reports for evaluation,inspite of the COVID-19 challenges.
“Integrated reporting helps to increase the preparedness of organisations to access long term financing through the capital markets, by providing the appropriate disclosures as well as evidence of prudent corporate governance, which are key in attracting investors”
“It shows commitment to upholding standards of financial reporting, an indicator of strong organisational culture”-Wanumeli commended.
The awards, which are organized by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) strive to uplift the quality of financial and business reporting in Uganda.
The Financial Reporting (FiRe) Awards is an annual event organized by ICPAU in partnership with CMA, USE). The Awards, were running for the tenth time in this year 2020.
The Awards are open to all organisations/ entities that prepare an annual report: financial institutions, trading companies, government departments and agencies, and not-for-profit bodies including charities. The overall aim of the Awards is to enhance the quality of financial and business reporting in Uganda by encouraging the implementation of financial reporting standards as well as other best practices in reporting. The annual event contributes to ongoing improvement in the quality of reporting.
Here are some of the other winners of the night
Outstanding financial achievement, Non-for-Profit Organisations- Reproductive Health Uganda
Special Awards 1: Reporting under IPSAS – SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
Special Awards 2: Reporting under the IFRS for SMEs – Child’s i Foundation
Best Listed Entity- Stanbic Uganda Holdings Ltd.
Commercial Banks Category – Stanbic Uganda.
Microfinance Deposit-Taking Institutions (MDIs) Category – FINCA_Uganda.
Insurance Companies- liberty Uganda.
Public Sector – NSSF
Consumer and Industrial; Category A – UMEME Ltd..
Regulatory Bodies and Associations – Bank of Uganda.
Cooperatives category- Y-Save MultiPurpose Cooperative Society Ltd.
Retirement Benefits Schemes FiRe Award- Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme.
Getting Cultural leaders on Board
At Reproductive Health Uganda, we strongly believe that especially local leaders are pivotal and key in promoting family planning in their communities. We have been engaging the different leaders in the communities around Uganda, see article from one of the major ones from Lango culture.
See attached excerpt from the biggest news paper in Uganda
No schools, no blood: How Covid-19 closure has worsened shortage
No schools, no blood: How Covid-19 closure has worsened shortage
Written by BY GILLIAN NANTUME – September 7th, Daily Monitor , Uganda
Reproductive Health Uganda through the SET SRHR project is advocating for increased funding to the National blood bank. This is through a campaign dabbed Saving lives through greater investment in safe blood transfusion services. Join the conversation on social media using #SupportTheUGBloodBank #SaveLives #WeAreRHU
Blood transfusions are a strong pillar in modern medicine and they have saved the lives of countless people. Women with pregnancy related complications, need donated blood more than all other groups, except children below the age of five. Dr Elizabeth Nabiwemba, the project director of SET-SRHR, says blood loss mainly affects women in childbirth because their blood levels are already low due to the pregnancy.
Who is at risk
“Haemorrhage is the number one killer of pregnant women. When there is no blood in a hospital the risk of a woman dying in labour is very high. She does not have to lose much blood to die.”
Sarah Mutegombwa, the programme manager for blood donor recruitment at Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) says most of the donated blood goes to children below five years.
“These children take at least 50 percent of the blood because they become anaemic when they suffer from severe malaria and malnutrition. Women with pregnancy-related complications take up 30 percent of the demand, while the remaining 20 percent is shared by those in need of surgical operations, trauma victims, and those who suffer from chronic illnesses, such as cancer and sickle cell disease.”
Mutegombwa adds that one unit of blood can serve three children, because they use only one or two components of the blood, such as red blood cells, platelets, or the plasma. An adult, though, can consume as many whole units of blood as the need arises. In contrast, in high-income countries about 76 percent of the donated blood is received by patient groups over the age of 65.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic dominated the focus of health policymakers, the Ministry of Health (MoH) had, in its 2020/21 budget, said it would target equipping Level IV Health Centres to provide blood transfusion services in order to improve reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health services.
According to the Health Ministerial Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2020/2021, it is estimated that 8,400 mothers are referred to regional referral hospitals annually because Level IV Health Centres lack the capacity to perform obstetric care as they cannot transfuse blood. The ministry said it needed Shs2.2 Bn to install blood fridges in 89 Level IV Health Centres around the country.
Chronic blood shortages worsened
There are seven blood collection and distribution sites located in the districts of Lira, Nebbi, Jinja, Masaka, Kampala, and Hoima. The collections sites are not fully-fledged blood banks because they do not have testing facilities. Restrictions to control the spread of the coronavirus have made procuring blood, even from these few points, significantly more difficult.
While anyone between 17- 60 years can donate blood as long as they are in good health, students are Uganda’s biggest blood donors.
“During the school term, we run continuous blood donation mobilisations to replenish what is in the blood banks, until the students get holidays. As a country, we have been getting 70 percent of our total blood donations from schools. The remaining 30 per cent is collected from the community. Some areas organise and then, call us, with the intention of donating blood,” Mutegombwa says.
She adds that in schools, more boys donate blood than girls. “For girls, the barriers to donating are many. For instance, she cannot donate blood if she has recently completed her period because she has lost blood. Also, in the communities, there are restrictions on a pregnant woman and breastfeeding mother donating blood.
However, when in terms of the HIV prevalence rate, we target low risk donors, where the rate of infection is too small. Before we go to a community, we screen its prevalence levels and also give community members information so they can self-exclude themselves.”
Blood has a shelf life of 35 days. Schools were closed in mid-March. Since April, the shortage of blood has reached critical levels at many of the health centres. This shortage gives unscrupulous health workers an opportunity to raise the price of the few units of blood available.
“During the holidays, we would shift the blood donation mobilisation drives to the communities. But, the pandemic broke out during the school term, so we had to quickly switch to the communities. Unfortunately, we ended up with a [total] lockdown,” Mutegombwa says.
Who has been donating?
With the broader lockdown came bans on public gatherings and public and private transport. URCS switched to soliciting for blood from individual registered donors.
Uganda has between 80,000 and 90,000 registered blood donors, most of who donate twice a year. Mutegombwa says: “We would call a donor, pick them from home and drive them to our offices. After the donation, we took them back home.
Sometimes, we spent one hour on transporting a donor. On average, we would pick up between 20 to 30 donors per day. Each of these can only donate one unit of blood every three months if they are male or every four months if they are female.”
Cost of blood supply
The government meets the costs of blood donation. But sometimes, especially during the lockdown, groups such as the Indian Association, offered to transport blood donors.
Although both public and private transport are operational, blood donations are still low due to the restrictions on public gatherings in communities, and also, due to the fact that schools are still closed. Mutegombwa says prior to Covid19, their outreach teams would hold at least 30-40 minute-long awareness campaigns in a month, targeting at least 100 people but now it is difficult to organise more than 20 people in one place.
The bleeding processes (drawing blood from a donor) also takes much longer. Previously, one nurse could tend to two donors at the same time. Now, due to the physical distancing and other Covid19 related regulations, a nurse will spend about 15 minutes bleeding one person.
Dr Mathias Lugolobi is District Health Officer in Wakiso. He says, “We have four government and eight church-based facilities that can perform blood transfusions. Ideally, each facility needs 30 blood units per month.”
However, they never get that many units and Lugoloobi adds that during the lockdown the blood supply dwindled to the bare minimum. When there are shortages of blood, smaller health centres outside the main urban areas are de-prioritised.
Dr Francis Kakooza, the Kayunga District Health Officer is also in charge of its general hospital. He says his hospital gets only about 15 to 20 units a week yet, ideally, they need 30 to 40 units. In times of shortages they do not get any blood from Nakasero blood bank.
“At times, we only get 10 units. So, we transfer patients who need blood to Jinja or Kampala districts. However, at the peak of the lockdown, we only made referrals to Kampala because in most cases, Jinja also suffered blood shortages. Right now, we are renovating the hospital and soon we will have an emergency trauma unit. This means we will need more blood,” he says.
The WHO standard
The Uganda Blood Transfusion Services (UBTS), the institution mandated to collect, test, store and distribute blood was allocated Shs17.824 billion (USD 4.8 million) in the 2020/2021 Financial Year. Of this amount, Shs 4.9 billion will go to wages and salaries, Shs 4.758 billion on travel and transport, Shs 2.675billion on general expenses, Shs 1.479billion on maintenance, and only Shs 476 million on supplies and services.
According to the World Health Organisation’s Global Database on Blood Safety, a country should be able to collect blood equivalent to one percent of its population. Uganda has an estimated population of 45,903,545 people.
This means the country needs to collect 459,035 units of blood annually. According to URCS, it costs USD85 (Shs 331,500) to collect one unit of blood. This means UBTS needs USD 39 million (Shs152.1 billion) if it were to meet the WHO recommendations. Mutegombwa says that the country is not set to meet the WHO target at the moment.
“Instead of the 459,035 units of blood, our target is 300,000 units a year,” she says.
That target, which translates into 25,000 units a month, is also often missed. By the end of last year, only 288,000 units had been collected,” she says.
Coronavirus restrictions made a bad situation worse. “Before the lockdown, as a country, we were at 96 percent collections. Currently, we are at 76 per cent. In April, only 14,768 units were collected, 23,032 units were collected in May and 19,050 units in June,” Mutegombwa adds.
Blood donation drive
The blood shortage has motivated medical doctors to fundraise for blood. Dr Joseph Gavin Nyanzi, the in-charge of Cherish Health Centre, a private-not- for-profit facility in Garuga, Wakiso district, has partnered with the Rotary Blood Bank at Mengo Hospital in a donation drive. Dr Nyanzi is also the public relations officer of the Uganda Medical Association.
“Over time, I have realised the need of blood as a medical product. So, on July 31, to commemorate my mother’s 70th birthday, I started a drive. My target is to collect 140 units of blood by September 3, when the drive will end. As of today (August 16) we have collected 20 units. Everyone is welcome to donate blood from Monday to Friday at the Rotary Blood Bank,” he says.
This is the second time Dr Nyanzi is carrying out a . In January last year, his drive had a target of 105 units but he managed to collect 16 units.
“There is only one factory of blood – you and I. If you donate blood, you also get the satisfaction of knowing your blood can make the different between life and death for someone,” he says.
Charting a way forward
On July 16, 2020, the UBTS appeared before Parliament’s health committee and requested for Shs20.5 billion to mitigate the blood shortage. Of this amount, Shs 10 billion wasww to offset a previous debt while the remaining Shs 10 billion was to help UBTS in the current crisis. The money has not yet been received.
However, there is a general feeling that UBTS is getting a lot of money but the problem is with prioritising how the money should be used. With prioritising blood collection, testing and distributing, the Ministry of Finance can be convinced when it comes to the supplementary budget. But the problem isn’t always financial. Mutegombwa says the majority of the registered donors are students.
“Adults fear donating blood because they do not want to know their HIV status. Some believe their blood supply will dwindle if they donate. Lack of information, discouraging cultural and religious beliefs about blood donation is also a hindrance. People see blood donation as taboo. They associate it with human sacrifice!” Mutegombwa says. Dr Nabiwemba says the general community should be mobilised.
“I know a woman who went to her church and talked to the congregants about the blood shortage. She asked them to bring other friends to donate blood in two weeks’ time and it was a successful donation. I think we can do this even in this era of social distancing. We can donate while observing the standard operating procedures.”
According to a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Health and URCS and UBTS, the two organisations are working with village health teams to register potential donors in rural areas.
To engage the public, the URSC has developed the Blood for Uganda App for both android and iOS which people can download and get to know the blood donation sites near them.
Mutegombwa says 114 donors have so far registered with the App. “When there is a need for blood from rare blood types, we activate the contacts in the App and they come to our offices to donate because most of them are walk-in donors.”
The app also creates a database of volunteers who can be reached in time of need and to achieve the No shortage of Blood goal. However, the App can only apply to people who use smartphones. Those who do not have them, have to rely on the honesty of medical workers.