Uganda is taking decisive steps to integrate health service delivery for communicable diseases (CDs) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), addressing the country’s growing double burden of disease.
Speaking at the three-day National Annual Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases Conference and the 19th Joint Scientific Health Conference, Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero emphasized the urgency of unified action. “Health promotion and disease control are not the responsibility of the health sector alone, but require active collaboration across sectors,” she said. Held under the theme “Unified Action Against Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases,” the conference explored the linkages between CDs and NCDs and developed actionable recommendations to eliminate priority diseases and advance health equity.
In her keynote address, Dr. Queen Dube from WHO headquarters echoed the call for a multisectoral approach, highlighting that “most causes of ill-health lie outside the health sector. CDs and NCDs share risk factors, co-morbidities, and often compete for the same resources. Integration is not just logical, it’s essential.”
Deliberations at the conference led to consensus on four key enablers for integration. First, breaking silos by dismantling operational barriers between CD and NCD programmes through innovative, evidence-based, and locally tailored solutions. Second, harmonizing systems by aligning health systems, implementing interoperable data platforms, coordinating supply chains, and integrating workforce training. Third, prioritizing prevention by promoting public awareness and early interventions alongside curative care for both CDs and NCDs. Finally, investing in primary health care by embedding services for HIV, TB, malaria, and related comorbidities into primary and community-based health services.
Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, affirmed the feasibility of integration, noting that “the science is well known, and the practice is clear. Even with minimal resources, we can do it. What has been lacking is the language and determination.”
WHO Representative Dr. Kasonde Mwinga, in remarks delivered by Dr. Christine Chiedza Musanhu, praised Uganda’s leadership in adopting people-centred, integrated service delivery. “Uganda’s commitment is a beacon in the region. By aligning national strategies with the broader regional vision, we can confront complex health challenges with unity and purpose. Together, we can build a healthier, more resilient, and prosperous Africa, where no one is left behind,” she concluded.
