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Posted on Categories News 88 Comments on THE WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY CELEBRATIONS AND HEART DISEASES!!!!!

THE WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY CELEBRATIONS AND HEART DISEASES!!!!!

By Specioza Avako

In Uganda today, Tobacco use has remained a significant public health challenge and a leading cause of non-communicable diseases including heart diseases and premature deaths. Annually around 6 million people die from diseases caused by tobacco use, including about 600,000 from second-hand smoke exposure. In 2013, approximately 1.3 million (7.9%) Ugandans used tobacco products. The prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults age 15 and over in 2013 was 5.8% (960,000), the adults were 10.3% of men and 1.8% of women. Smoking from combustible tobacco products contains more than 7,000 chemicals and has not only led to cancers but also cardiovascular (heart) diseases including; stroke, heart failure, aneurysm and coronary heart diseases which have become real tragedy in Uganda.

The World Health Organisation has marked 31 May of every year as the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), highlighting the health and other risks associated with tobacco use, and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. The 2018 World No Tobacco Day theme was “Tobacco and Heart Disease”. For Uganda, the World No Tobacco Day 2018 celebration was an opportunity for addressing the tobacco epidemic and its impact on public health, particularly on heart diseases that cause the death and suffering of people. It was also an opportunity for Uganda to focus on the Sustainable Development Goals to ensure healthy lives for all and encourage countries to reduce mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

This year, the Ministry of Health (MoH), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the Uganda Tobacco Control Advocates including the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) organized and participated in week long activities which started on 25th May 2018 to commemorate the World No Tobacco day. Some of these activities included a press briefing at the Uganda Heart Institute on the 29th May 2018 and display of ICT materials on Tobacco and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). These activities were crowned by the event on 31st May 2018 which begun with a march from Kanyanya a suburb in the outskirts of Kampala to an open field in Mpererwe market. The colorful procession attracted attention of drivers, residents and pedestrians on the busy Gayaza road as the tobacco control advocates displayed placards and banners on tobacco and heart related diseases. The tobacco control advocates also cleaned the market as a way of giving back to the community.

CEHURD also had a legal aid clinic where lawyers explained the law, roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in creating a smoke free environment to community members. This legal aid clinic provided an opportunity to explain the nexus between the law and non-communicable diseases and particularly heart diseases. Furthermore it was an avenue of receiving feedback on the practicability, compliance and the implementation of the newly enacted Tobacco Control Act, 2015.

Posted on Categories News 119 Comments on Advancing Access to HIV related Health Services for AGYW – Community Score Card

Advancing Access to HIV related Health Services for AGYW – Community Score Card

By Serunjogi Francis.

According to the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2015/2016 – 2019/2020), women and girls in Uganda, constitute the largest proportion of Persons Living with HIV PLHIV – 8.3% compared to men at 6.1% (UAIS 2011). On the other hand, recent UNAIDS data shows that each week in Uganda, 570 young women aged 15-24 get infected with HIV.

During interventions with Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in Mukono and Gomba, CEHURD has realized that there are still patent gaps in HIV response and this is attributed to risks encountered by this age group which are linked to social, economic, legal as well as other factors.

As an intervention, CEHURD with technical support from International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and ViiV Health Care under the “Integrating Legal Empowerment and social accountability for Quality HIV Health services for AGYW” project are applying and implementing a Community Score Card in the districts of Mukono and Gomba with different community stakeholders including Community Health Advocates who are AGYW, Justice Actors, Members of community village committees such as Health Unit Management Committees, health services providers as well as Community Based Organization actors.

This process has enabled CEHURD to enhance capacities of different stake holders to utilize rights based local engagement and feedback processes for improving HIV related health service delivery as well as addressing Gender based violence among AGYW. This has been achieved through supporting these different stake holders including AGYW themselves to develop action plans which will be followed to in a process of improving access to HIV services as well as addressing Gender Based Violence. CEHURD has also managed to increase community knowledge and skills in advancing access to HIV related services for, and rights of, AGYW.

During this process, AGWY have been given an opportunity to air out their concerns to both Health and Justice Service providers including Health workers, community village health committees, police officers and local leaders that MUST be addressed if access to HIV related services for this age group MUST be improved as well as Sexual and Gender based violence addressed.

AGYW requested CEHURD to convene more community dialogues with stakeholders such as District Officials, District Leaders, Members of Parliament and Parents as well as Caregivers which platform will further give them an opportunity to air out their grievances that deter them from accessing HIV related services including addressing Sexual and Gender based violence.

CEHURD replied in affirmative to this request and will be conducting community dialogues which will bring together more stakeholders and AGYW hence discussing and coming to a consensus on how to further improve access to quality HIV services for AGYW as well as addressing Sexual and Gender based violence.

Posted on Categories News 143 Comments on World Intellectual Property Day: Are women in Uganda being priced out of life-saving medicine due to Intellectual Property Rights?

World Intellectual Property Day: Are women in Uganda being priced out of life-saving medicine due to Intellectual Property Rights?

By: Ann Lumbasi

On this 26th day of April 2018, Uganda joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Intellectual Property day under the theme “Powering Change: Women in Innovation and Creativity” However, as we shine the light on women in innovation, the fundamental question is: are women who are the most affected group with the HIV scourge in Uganda and other developing countries benefiting from medical inventions that they so need?

Intellectual Property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, which include inventions, literary and artistic works, symbols, names, images, and designs used in trade. Intellectual Property creates rights that give entitlement to owners of IP in form of patents, copy rights and trademarks among others. These rights give the inventor the legal protection from competition so they can use or benefit from their creation exclusively for a specified period of time.

Although IP Rights are intended to promote innovation and creativity, they act as barriers for access to essential medicines as they create monopolies for pharmaceutical manufacturers who charge exorbitant prices, thereby making these medicines out of reach for many especially in least developed countries.

The sad reality is; over one quarter of the world’s population could be left at the mercy of their ailment, unable to access medicine that could change the course of their lives and this is daunting for anyone that believes in social justice. It is not surprising that IP is at the center of global debates with advocates of human rights arguing that strict enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) affects the realization of the right to health which is recognized in international instruments and national constitutions of various countries around the world including Uganda. The International Covenant of the Economic Cultural and Social Rights (ICESCR) for instance provides that “everyone has a right to enjoyment of the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health ” defined to include access to essential medicines.

According to the health data of 2016 compiled by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation , HIV was ranked number one cause for premature death in Uganda. Moreover women, in particular, are disproportionately affected in comparison to men. The health data indicates that in 2016 the HIV prevalence rates of women living with HIV was 7.6% as compared to men 4.7%. Although the first line drugs have become more affordable in the recent times, the increasing drug-resistance still presents a challenge in developing countries since patients must be moved to the second line medicines and newer formulas which are likely still protected by patents. Medicines under patent protection are evidently expensive since the inventors must make a return on the high costs of research and development.

The solution however lies in the effective utilization of provisions incorporated in the WTO- Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Agreement now commonly referred to as the TRIPS flexibilities. Some key flexibilities include compulsory licensing which allows third parties to use an invention without the holders’ consent and parallel importation which allows procurement of drugs at a lower price from another country without consent of a patent holder of a patented product that is on the market of the exporting country. Another significant flexibility is the exemption of least developed countries from enforcing pharmaceutical patents until 2033 which should be exploited to promote transfer of technology.

The problem is that there little to no evidence which indicates utilization of these provisions by the developing countries including Uganda to promote access to essential medicines especially for people living with HIV, women being the majority.

As we celebrate women in innovation today, we must think of those women who are unable to access essential medicines due to a high cost implication caused by the strict enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights.

Posted on Categories Featured, News Leave a comment

World Intellectual Property Day: Are women in Uganda being priced out of life-saving medicine due to Intellectual Property Rights?

On this 26th day of April 2018, Uganda joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Intellectual Property day under the theme “Powering Change: Women in Innovation and Creativity” However, as we shine the light on women in innovation, the fundamental question is: are women who are the most affected group with the HIV scourge in Uganda and other developing countries benefiting from medical inventions that they so need?

 

Intellectual Property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, which include inventions, literary and artistic works, symbols, names, images, and designs used in trade. Intellectual Property creates rights that give entitlement to owners of IP in form of patents, copy rights and trademarks among others. These rights give the inventor the legal protection from competition so they can use or benefit from their creation exclusively for a specified period of time.

Although IP Rights are intended to promote innovation and creativity, they act as barriers for access to essential medicines as they create monopolies for pharmaceutical manufacturers who charge exorbitant prices, thereby making these medicines out of reach for many especially in least developed countries.

The sad reality is; over one quarter of the world’s population could be left at the mercy of their ailment, unable to access medicine that could change the course of their lives and this is daunting for anyone that believes in social justice. It is not surprising that IP is at the center of global debates with advocates of human rights arguing that strict enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) affects the realization of the right to health which is recognized in international instruments and national constitutions of various countries around the world including Uganda. The International Covenant of the Economic Cultural and Social Rights (ICESCR) for instance provides that “everyone has a right to enjoyment of the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health[1]” defined to include access to essential medicines.

According to the health data of 2016 compiled by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation[2], HIV was ranked number one cause for premature death in Uganda. Moreover women, in particular, are disproportionately affected in comparison to men. The health data indicates that in 2016 the HIV prevalence rates of women living with HIV was 7.6% as compared to men 4.7%. Although the first line drugs have become more affordable in the recent times, the increasing drug-resistance still presents a challenge in developing countries since patients must be moved to the second line medicines and newer formulas which are likely still protected by patents. Medicines under patent protection are evidently expensive since the inventors must make a return on the high costs of research and development.

The solution however lies in the effective utilization of provisions incorporated in the WTO- Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Agreement now commonly referred to as the TRIPS flexibilities. Some key flexibilities include compulsory licensing which allows third parties to use an invention without the holders’ consent and parallel importation which allows procurement of drugs at a lower price from another country without consent of a patent holder of a patented product that is on the market of the exporting country. Another significant flexibility is the exemption of least developed countries from enforcing pharmaceutical patents until 2033 which should be exploited to promote transfer of technology.

The problem is that there little to no evidence which indicates utilization of these provisions by the developing countries including Uganda to promote access to essential medicines especially for people living with HIV, women being the majority.

As we celebrate women in innovation today, we must think of those women who are unable to access essential medicines due to a high cost implication caused by the strict enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights.

[1]Article 12 (1) of ICESCR

[2]Available at www.healthdata.org

Posted on Categories News 274 Comments on Advancing access to Maternal Health Services – Commemoration of the International day for maternal health and Rights

Advancing access to Maternal Health Services – Commemoration of the International day for maternal health and Rights

By Fatiha Nkoobe

Maternal health remains central to humanity world over since it is among the key indicators of the health of the population in all countries across the globe. It is therefore true to say that the death of mothers due to pregnancy-related causes must be a key focus of the health system of any country if good health indicators are to be realized.
Uganda has a high maternal death rate. Around 7000 women die each year, as many as 20 mothers every day due to pregnancy and birth-related complications. Access to skilled birth attendance reduces the risk of maternal death and other child-birth related complications by up to 87 per cent, according to the 2014 State of the World’s Midwifery Report.

In Uganda, access to this essential care is constrained by a human resources gap in midwifery, and retrogressive policing around sexual reproductive health. With only 73 per cent of pregnant women receiving skilled attention the country is grappling with a huge number of women who die while giving birth to 336 deaths per 100, 000 live births as put forward by the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) as opposed to the 70/100,000 target by WHO. This places Uganda among the top five countries in terms of maternal health deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.

On 11th April 2018, Uganda joined the rest of the world to commemorate the International Day for Maternal Health and Rights under the Theme: “Rights Based Approach to Maternal Health in Uganda: No Woman Should Die Giving Birth.”

Civil Society, led by Center for Health, Human, Rights and Development (CEHURD), and other stakeholders including policy makers marched from the Independence Monument to Parliament where a dialogue with Members of Parliament was held to collectively find sustainable solutions to the alarming maternal mortality rate. “We want to see progressive laws when it comes to maternal health and SRHR in the country because that is when we shall be able to reduce on maternal mortality,” Mr. Jjuuko Dennis – Programme Officer at CEHURD, while UWOPA chairperson Hon. Monica Amoding backed by other women legislators pointed at the weak health system as the driving force behind high maternal mortality. They however pledged to support the ministry in designing new policies to reduce the death of mothers and women.

Civil Society used dialogue to petition Parliament in demand for the implementation of the resolution that was passed by the house on December 15, 2011 urging Government to institute measures to address Maternal Mortality in Uganda. Ms. Prima Kwagala from CEHURD highlighted a number of pending resolutions that were made by Parliament yet no action has ever been taken. Among these included tasking government through the Ministry of Health to strictly enforce maternal health audits and take actions to the established causes, together with developing a policy of compensation to the families of all women who die as a result of maternal related cases through government facilities

Different stakeholders committed to raising awareness to legislators about the state of maternal health, the preventable contributors of maternal mortality and the legal and policy environment for the same to stimulate action for addressing preventable maternal mortality in Uganda.

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