The US Ambassador to Uganda Scott DeLisi Decries Population Growth

‘Please Fix Your Country’, Ambassador Scott Urges Ugandans The US Ambassador to Uganda Scott DeLisi has decried Uganda’s rapidly growing population that is outstripping the country’s resources, causing serious challenges to development Ambassador DeLisi was delivering a World Health Day Guest Lecture at the Makerere University College of Health Sciences Davies Lecture Theatre on April 10th 2013 He said with the current population of 35 million, a total fertility rate of 6.2 births per woman and a population growth rate of 3.2 percent, Uganda’s population could easily shoot to 100 million by 2050 He said despite the rampant corruption in Uganda, he is happy to note that the support coming in from the US government is making a difference in the lives of Ugandans everyday “Let us look, for example, at the fight against HIV/AIDS Through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S Government currently provides 700,000 Ugandans with care and support We have tested and counseled 5.5 million people, including over a million pregnant women” Through PEPFAR, the U.S Government is supporting the Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation-Uganda and the Infectious Diseases Institute where thousands of children, adolescents and adults infected with HIV are receiving treatment that has changed their lives The Ambassador and other dignitaries being taken around the Baylor College of Medicine Children’s FoundationUganda’s lab, pharmacy and clinical facilities Dr Alex Coutihno, the Director Infectious Diseases Institute taking the ambassador and his entourage around the institute’s facilities Ambassador DeLisi spoke highly of the Option B+ intervention and said that if scaled up and implemented effectively across the country, this intervention can actually eliminate Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV, thus helping Uganda realize the dream of a HIV-free generation The U.S Government is working in full partnership with the Ministry of Health to implement this intervention, he said Ambassador DeLisi delivering the Guest Lecture to a very attentive audience in the Davies Lecture Theatre He also pointed out that mixed signals about HIV prevention strategies hurt efforts to eliminate the epidemic He pointed out messages about safe male circumcision and messages about condom where many conflicting voices are often heard Focusing on malaria, Ambassador DeLisi noted that since 2006, nearly million people in ten districts in Northern Uganda have been protected from malaria through US-funded Indoor Residual Spraying while over million Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets have been distributed and over 160,000 malaria-inpregnancy treatments have been provided The Deputy Principal Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Prof Celestino Obua gave highlights of the projects, programmes and initiatives funded at the College and how these are impacting lives Prof Obua delivers his presentation The Deputy First Vice Chancellor in Charge Academic Affairs, Prof Lillian TibatemwaEkirikubinza said Makerere University has benefitted a lot from US funding in research and teaching initiatives She said the University is exceedingly proud of the College of Health Sciences which is one of the University’s Centres of Excellence Prof Lillian TibatemwaEkirikubinza giving closing remarks at the Guest Lecture Focusing on the theme of this year’s World Health day which is High Blood Pressure, the DVC (AA) pointed out that this is becoming a major issue of concern but was happy to share that the College of Health Sciences has Non Communicable Diseases-where high blood pressure) in the top-most five priorities of its research agenda She applauded efforts by students, through their various associations and clubs, in educating the public about the risk factors of NCDs and how to live healthier lives  ...Dr Alex Coutihno, the Director Infectious Diseases Institute taking the ambassador and his entourage around the institute’s facilities Ambassador DeLisi spoke highly of the Option B+ intervention... partnership with the Ministry of Health to implement this intervention, he said Ambassador DeLisi delivering the Guest Lecture to a very attentive audience in the Davies Lecture Theatre He also... effectively across the country, this intervention can actually eliminate Mother -To- Child Transmission of HIV, thus helping Uganda realize the dream of a HIV-free generation The U.S Government