RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Uganda National Institute of Public Health: Establishment and Experiences, 2013–2021
JF Global Health: Science and Practice
JO GLOB HEALTH SCI PRACT
FD Johns Hopkins University- Global Health. Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Communication Programs
SP e2100784
DO 10.9745/GHSP-D-21-00784
VO 10
IS 4
A1 Alex Riolexus Ario
A1 Issa Makumbi
A1 Daniel Kadobera
A1 Lilian Bulage
A1 Felix Ocom
A1 Benon Kwesiga
A1 Dennis F. Jarvis
A1 Sandra Nabatanzi
A1 Jaco Homsy
A1 Flora Banage
A1 Vance Brown
A1 Julie R. Harris
A1 Amy L. Boore
A1 Lisa J. Nelson
A1 Sue Binder
A1 Henry G. Mwebesa
A1 Jane R. Aceng
YR 2022
UL http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/10/4/e2100784.abstract
AB Key MessagesBuilding the Uganda National Institute of Public Health (UNIPH) in stages, with collaboration between the Ministry of Health and other partners for financial and technical support, ensured a solid establishment of its key structures.As Uganda consolidates its public health functions by establishing the UNIPH through an Act of Parliament, smarter, faster, and more effective prevention, detection, and response to public health emergencies is already occurring in the country.Uganda is an ecological hot spot with porous borders that lies in several infectious disease transmission belts, making it prone to disease outbreaks. To prepare and respond to these public health threats and emergencies in a coordinated manner, Uganda established the Uganda National Institute of Public Health (UNIPH) in 2013.Using a step-by-step process, Uganda’s Ministry of Health (MOH) crafted a strategy with a vision, mission, goal, and strategic objectives, and identified value additions and key enablers for success. A regulatory impact assessment was then conducted to inform the drafting of principles of the bill for legislation on the Institute.Despite not yet attaining legal status, the UNIPH has already achieved faster, smarter, and more efficient and effective prevention, detection, and response to public health emergencies. Successes include a more coordinated multisectoral, disciplined, and organized response to emergencies; appropriate, timely, and complete information receipt and sharing; a functional national lab sample and results transportation network that has enabled detection and confirmation of public health events within 48 hours of alert; appropriate response to a confirmed public health event in 24–48 hours; and real-time surveillance of endemic- and epidemic-prone diseases.In this article, we document success stories, lessons learned, and challenges encountered during the unique staged process used to develop the components of the UNIPH. The creation of an integrated disease control center has proven to yield better collaboration and synergies between different arms of epidemic preparedness and response.