WHEN in 1903 a prolific American inventor Thomas Alva Edison better known as Thomas Edison said, “The Doctor Of The Future Will Give No Medication But Will Interest His Patients In The Care Of The Human Frame, Diet And In The Cause and Prevention Of The Disease”, little did he know that his ‘prophesy’ would transcend borders and become the catchphrase on the lips of health care givers in Uganda.
Currently the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Health and other related departments takes a lot of interest in public health care which is rooted in a commitment to social justice, equity, solidarity and participation.
PHC addresses the broader determinants of health and focuses on the comprehensive and interrelated aspects of physical, mental and social health and well being.
Experts say most of the illnesses could be avoided through good hygiene because the first line of defense is to keep germs at bay by following good personal hygiene habits.
It’s paradoxical that in some areas with plenty of agricultural and farm products, the residents look emaciated because of poor feeding methods where the best products are sold out, leading to nutritional deficiency diseases.
To avoid this trend, a group of doctors who benefitted from the State House sponsorship under the benevolent President Yoweri Museveni has embarked on a nationwide campaign through medical camps to offer free health services.
The group under their umbrella body State House Sponsored Beneficiaries is being led by their chairman Dr Samuel Oledo Odongo and Eng Cephas Okumu as the vice chairperson.
In Pader and Dokolo 6,405 patients benefited from the medical camp held for three days in each of the two districts where the doctors who said they were giving back to the community.
Other areas covered included Alebtong, Apac, Kitgum, Gulu and West Nile for Northern Uganda where Dr Samuel Oledo Odongo explained the importance of being healthy as one way citizens can contribute to nation building activities.
Speaking to the patients before the programme started, Samuel Oledo Odongo and his team used the occasion to sensitize the masses about disease prevention as a core value of Primary Health Care (PHC).
“…it’s our duty as health professionals to guide you appropriately to avoid falling sick and as we avoid preventable illnesses, we can have a healthy population to improve their socio economic well-being, a core value of NRM…”Dr Samuel Oledo Odongo urged.
Saying ‘prevention is better than cure’, the medics also appealed to the residents to observe their lifestyles and nutrition and to ensure they conduct some form of daily exercise so as to remain physically fit and healthy.
They also handled diagnostics for Non Communicable Diseases (NCD), general medical, ultrasound scanning for expectant mothers to check on the fetus wellbeing and cervical cancer screening sensitization, among others to reduce the preventable illnesses among the people.
Dr Samuel Oledo Odongo also labored to explain to residents and patients who always want to be injected for every sicknesses saying some conditions only require health education and sensitization.
“…there is a misconception among some patients who think medical treatment for healing is synonymous with injection and if this is not done, the patients get offended, which is wrong…” he explained.
It should be remembered that Dr Samuel Oledo Odongo is in hot pursuit of his political ambition to become the NRM First National Vice Chairperson, a position currently being held by veteran politician Hajji Moses Kigongo.
What You Need To Know:
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
By implication of the above definition, mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.
WHO also states that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, and political belief, economic or social condition.
It says the health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent on the fullest co-operation of individuals and states.
WHO and UNICEF define PHC as a whole-of-society approach to health that aims at ensuring the highest possible level of health and well being and their equitable distribution by focusing on people’s needs and as early as possible along the continuum from health promotion and disease prevention to treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care, and as close as feasible to people’s everyday environment.
The 1995 constitution of Uganda (as amended) provides for all people in Uganda to enjoy equal rights and opportunities, have access to health services, clean and safe water and education, among many other things.
This means constitutionally, the government of the day has an obligation to provide basic health services to its people and to promote proper nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
Records available indicate that the increase in the burden of disease due to HIV/AIDS and Non Communicable Diseases(NCDs),the negative health consequences of changing climate, new and emerging diseases, challenges in implementation of decentralization programme and the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) in health.
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