Health, Water and Sanitation

INTENT
A healthy and productive population.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE
To increase access to health services, clean water and good sanitation in Uganda.

RATIONALE
The Health Sector Investment plan (HSIP) 2015/16 - 2019/20 is the second in a series of six 5-year Plans aimed at achieving Uganda Vision 2040 of a healthy and productive population that contributes to socioeconomic growth and national development. The goal of this Plan is to accelerate movement towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with essential health and related services needed for promotion of a healthy and productive life. UHC makes it possible to ensure that all people  receive essential and good quality health  services they need without suffering financial hardship.

The achievements realized under HSSIP include among others: reduction in maternal mortality ratio from 438/100,000 (UDHS) live births in 2011 to 360/100,000 (WHS estimates) live births in 2014; reduction in  under five mortality from 128/1000 live births in 2006 to 90/1000 live births in 2011 to 69/1000 (WHS estimates) live births in 2014 and reduction in infant mortality  rate from 71/1000 live births in 2006 to  54/1000 live births in 2011 and 45/1000  (WHS  estimates) in 2014. The impact of all this has been an improvement in the life expectancy at birth in Uganda, from a low of 47 and 45 years in 2000/01 for females and males  respectively, to 57 and 54 years by 2011,  and  estimated  to  have  improved  further  since then.

The key focus over the next 5 years should be on improving further the infant and maternal mortality, increasing health financing and infrastructure, building capacity of health professionals and community leaders to support the Government’s health sector goal, increasing safe water coverage and improving sanitation.

STRATEGY

  1. Supporting Government’s effort to expand health infrastructure and bringing health services nearer to the local communities;
  2. Building the capacity of local leaders, institutions and health personnel to support the Government’s health agenda/to provide the minimum health care package;
  3. Increasing access to clean water and good sanitation especially among the urban poor, education institutions and health facilities;
  4. Reducing hygiene related diseases like cholera, diarrhea, etc through sustained public health campaigns focusing on clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); and5.Building the capacity of Camel Communities to become a key player in the WASH sector in Uganda;
  5. Contributing to the global and national response in the fight against HIV/AIDS;
  6. Contributing to the global and national responses towards managing health emergencies and epidemics.