Uganda's Agriculture, Industry, Services and ICT sectors Performance

Uganda's State of the Nation Address
By H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
President of the Republic of Uganda
Kampala 5th June, 2014 (Edited)

In fulfillment of the Constitutional requirement stipulated in article 101 (1) of the Constitution of Uganda, I stand here to deliver the State of the Nation Address, 2014. This is not a mere constitutional ritual as some people may want to perceive it but accountability on particular Government commitments since the last State of the Nation Address.

 
The State of the Nation Address I am delivering today,therefore, gives a broader picture concentrating on the basic priority sectors which are: agriculture, industry, services and ICT.The Ugandan economy continues to be vibrant amidst economic challenges and reforms on the local, regional and International scene.

There are the four sectors for wealth creation and access to employment: agriculture, Industry, Services and ICT.

Agriculture sector in Uganda: Agriculture is in two parts.There is the commercial and plantation farming. The commercial farming still has got challenges such as the high costs of inputs,the under-development of water for agriculture, the low use of fertilizers and poor management skills by the farmers themselves.

What is decisive for any enterprise to prosper, apart from the entrepreneur, is the market ─ the buyer. If enough people do not buy from you, you cannot continue to produce. That is why I am always careful to recommend to the farmers only crops and livestock products that have got a big internal, regional and international markets.

The global demand for coffee is 149.1 million bags at the value of US$ 13.6 billion unprocessed and 32 billion processed; the value of tea is US$ 11.4 billion with a total demand of 4 million tonnes;the total value of milk and milk products is US$ 32.8 billion with the total quantities of 730 million tonnes; etc. These are values of these products as materials, not as finished products.

The values of finished products of the items above, are as follows: If something has got a low global demand, we should know the consequences of encouraging the farmers to flock into it.Therefore, the leaders and the farmers should know that these products of our agriculture must compete regionally and globally because that is where the big market is.

In order to compete, our prices and quality must be competitive. Having looked at the global prices, we should, then, work backwards and see how we can reduce our costs and improve our yields in order to improve our profit margins within the market determined international prices.

Museveni the Farmer: As a farmer, it is good enough for me that somebody is buying my milk and my beef. At one time, we had nobody buying our milk because the milk being consumed in the towns was coming from outside. We are now dominating the milk sales in Uganda and also exporting to the entire East African region,Nigeria, Mauritius, the Middle East and, also, India and the United States, etc. What I have said is true of bananas, etc. The relevant Government departments must, accordingly, firmly regulate these products. Otherwise, if our quality is compromised, we shall be ruined. We cannot afford a bad reputation within Uganda and outside of poor quality products on account of poor regulation.

Infrastructure in Uganda: Infrastructure in many parts of the country is improving, such as: tarmac roads, the electricity, telephones, etc. I am negotiating with Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) to buy Japanese earth-moving equipment for both roads and water excavation on a big scale. Once this deal goes through, it will help us with the roads, water excavation for earth dams and even bush clearing. The Japanese equipment is very good. I have seen its capacity on my own farms.

Affordable Irrigation:Within our means, we are continuing to roll out the irrigation schemes.Doho Irrigation Rice Scheme has been repaired at the cost of Shs19.7 billion. Mobuku has also been repaired at the cost of Shs. 19billion. The Agoro Irrigation Scheme has been completed at the cost of Shs. 27 billion. The rehabilitation of the Olweny Irrigation Scheme will commence in 2014/15 and is estimated to cost total of 42 billion shillings. The Ministry of Agriculture, working with our brothers and sisters in Kenya, should avail affordable mini-irrigation equipment. Working with Makerere, we are also trying to develop a solar-powered irrigation pump. 

The agricultural sector grew by 1.5% per annum this financial year in spite of these challenges.  Its still handicapped by the 68% of the households that are still in subsistence farming according to the census of 2002. If all these homesteads were converted to commercial farming, the size of agriculture would be much bigger. 

In the Manifesto of 1996, the NRM put forward a four acres plan for these homesteads that have got that size of land.Using the yardstick of the financial returns per acre per annum and of sufficiently large global demand mentioned above, we recommended the following enterprises: clonal coffee ─ one acre;fruits (oranges, mangoes and pineapples) ─ one acre; bananas or any other food crop (cassava, Irish potatoes or upland rice) ─ one acre; and elephant grass for zero-grazing Friesian cattle ─ one acre. On these, you should add poultry for layers of eggs and pigs as backyard activities. Those near the swamps should engage in fish farming.

Many can participate in apiary for honey. In some areas, they grow tea.With 3 acres of tea, one can get about Ug. Shs 13.5million per annum. In the case of those with less land than the four acres,there is the option of mushroom growing as well as vegetable growing in addition to poultry and piggeries.

In the case of the latter two (poultry and piggery), you would use animal food bought from the others. With one room-full of mushrooms, using shelves one on top of the other, you would earn Ug. Shs. 20million per annum. One acre of onions would give you Shs. 24.8million per annum; an acre of tomatoes would give you Shs. 14million per acre per annum; an acre of cabbages would give you Shs. 20 million per acre per annum. The global demand of mushrooms is 3.5 million tonnes, valued at US$10 billion.

The political class, the religious leaders, the cultural leaders and even the peasants themselves have been slow in grasping this issue of enterprise selection for the peasants with small pieces of land and for the need to convert from subsistence farming to commercial farming. The peasants that have woken up to this need, have had the problem of planting materials and breeding materials.

NAADS under performing: NAADS that has been given huge resources to do this,spends most of the Shs. 203 billion we give them each year on salaries and seminars. They only spend Shs. 57 billion on buying materials for plantation and breeding. The rest is spent on salaries and seminars. We are determined to totally restructure NAADS in the coming financial year. Many farmers have woken up. When they get planting and breeding materials, they look after them well, for the majority of cases.

In this financial year, although starting late, I experimented with the deployment of UPDF officers in our former war zones. There are 25 former war-zones. These are: Bumbo; Mayuge; Awere:Atiak; Birembo; Mukono ─ Namugongo; Black bomber (Matugga-Migadde); Mondlane (Kalasa-Makulubita); Lutta (Semuto area);Kabalega (Kapeeka ─Kasiiso area); Nkrumah (Bukomero);Nkrumah (Lwamata); Nkrumah (Kiboga); Nkrumah (Kyenkwanzi);Nkrumah (Kyamusisi); Lutta (Sekanyonyi); Ngoma; Mwanga(Bamunanika); Rwenzori (Kasese); Rwenzori (Kabarole); Rwenzori (Bundibugyo); etc. etc. 

Using only a total of 9 billion shillings in the two rainy seasons of the last 9 months, the commanders deployed in these areas, have distributed: 11 million seedlings of coffee; 2 million seedlings of tea; 464,137 seedlings of oranges and mangoes and 1,412 tonnes of maize and beans, etc. If the soldiers can do this using so little money, why should NAADS and all those associated with it fail with these hundreds of billions? It is really embarrassing for all those involved. The good news is that the money is there and has been there. It is just a question of getting the right channels for this money to reach the peasant farmers. 

Uganda has money for Micro finance and for the Youth: Every year, Uganda provides Ug. Shs.16 billion for this. There is also the money for the youth- Shs.32 billion. There is money for NUSAF.Every year we provide Shs.53 billions for this. There is PRDP. Every year we provide Ug. Shs. 73.9 billion for this. There is the restocking money. Every year we provide money for this. The problem is not shortage of money. It is the shortage of reliable agents for conveying this money to the people. 

Uganda can be second coffee exporter: If Uganda used only Shs. 100 billion in one year, at a cost of Shs. 310 per coffee seedling including transport, it would plant 322 million new coffee trees of the clonal type ─ far in excess of the 220 million old coffee trees. By just planting new coffee trees, even without expanding the acreage, using the 100 billion shillings with good crop husbandry, annul coffee production would go from the present 4 million bags of 60 kgs each to, at least, more than 10 million bags. That would make Uganda second only to Brazil in the global coffee production.

Uganda Industrial Sector: 

Industry now employs 841,704 persons. The annual rate of growth of the industrial sector has been 5.6%. With commissioning of Bujagaali, there has been alleviation of power shortage although the price of electricity is still high. 

We are determined to provide electricity for manufacturing at 4 US cents per unit whatever the challenges. This is what I agreed with the coffee processor and the new textile manufacturers that are beginning to flock in the country as the factories migrate from China on account of the rising labour costs there. Those who, out of context, agitate for higher salaries should bear this in mind.Uganda cannot miss this round of industrialization for any reason.Apart from industries coming from outside, I want to inform the country that our young scientists, graduating from universities,are happily entering the manufacturing fields. 

Uganda Science Sector Growing: As you could see from the shows in Kumi ─ 8th of March – Women’s Day; ─ Rubaare,Ntungamo ─ 1st of May, Labour Day; and only the other day at Namulanda for the youth, the Ugandan scientists have the knowledge to produce anything from food processing, ceramics,herbal medicine, machine parts, light engineering, wood products,etc. etc.

Our scientists at Makerere have already produced electric automobiles and I tasked them to work on solar water pumps. My office has collected all the names of the people involved. We shall fund them using these huge sums of money that go to waste in the hands of all sorts of actors. It is so pleasing to see that Ugandan scientists can manufacture almost anything provided they are funded. With the emphasis we have put on electricity, the roads and the railway, we shall be able to lower the costs of doing business in this economy and, therefore,make our products more competitive.

The Services Sector: (hotels, transport, banks, professional services, etc) this year grew by 5.6%. It employs 2,684,290persons and accounts for 45.4% of our GDP. Given the uniquely good climate of Uganda, very few countries in the world can compete with us in this area. We only need to control the problems of: corruption, pollution and deforestation. It is only these three that can undermine our unrivalled advantage for services, especially tourism. In the year 2012, Uganda was declared the best tourism destination in the whole world. Between 11th and 16th November, 2014, we are going to host the Conference of the World Association of Tourist Operators. 

 

However, when I see, through the window of the plane, the green algae in the water around Entebbe, I do not feel happy. The Minister of the Environment must strive to find ways to stop the following:(i) The pollutants that go into the lake; (ii) Cutting forests up to the edge of all lakes; (iii) Digging on the banks of the River Nile; It is high time that Ugandans remember and appreciate these precious gifts from God. If they don’t get the care they need and deserve, they can all disappear. We should remember what Jesus said in Mathew 7:6, “don’t give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet,and turn and tear you in pieces.” When we destroy our God given environment, we will be like those pigs.

I must salute the Director of the National Forestry Authority (NFA).It seems he has somewhat woken up. In the recent past, I have flown over Mabira forest, Budongo forest, the forest around But in Kabarole and Semliki forest. It seems the encroachment has declined. I flew for dozens of minutes over this large area of thick forest. How beautiful it is. Let the Minister of the Environment similarly wake up in respect of the shores of Lake Victoria and the banks of river Nile. Our uniqueness, in the service sector can only be enhanced by protecting these treasures ─ the lakes, the rivers, the mountains, the wetlands and the National Parks.

Uganda ICT Sector Growing Steadily: The ICT sector is growing at 15% annually for last 2 years. It has got capacity to employ many people. The ICT is crucial for communication among people, for data processing and for automation. It is crucial, therefore, for industrial production and communication. It, therefore, will create a lot of jobs. Already about over 1 million persons are employed in the ICT sector both direct and indirect.

In the area of Business Processing Outsourcing (BPOs), we already have 54 companies operating in Uganda and they are employing 4,250 persons. Given that our youth speak English well, a lot more youths can get employed in this sector. 

Oil, Gas and Minerals in Uganda: You are aware of the petroleum and gas that we shall be able to start extracting from the ground by 2017. As you maybe aware, we have already found 3.5 billion barrels of petroleum in 40% of the potential area. Exploration in the rest of the area is continuing. Our negotiations with the oil companies had delayed because there were contentious clauses, happily, we have agreed with the oil companies on the MOU. We can, therefore, proceed to negotiate on the details. 

Our crude oil will be used in the refinery to produce final products, part of it will be exported as crude and part of it will be used for electricity generation. The gas will be used for electricity generation and for assisting in undefined extracting the crude. If we have enough quantities of gas, it will be used in steel manufacture, using our huge iron-ore deposits in the Kabale-Kanungu areas and in the Sukuru hills near Tororo.

Apart from oil and gas, the government conducted exploration in many part of the country and discovered the following minerals in the following quantities: (i) Iron-ore - more than 200 million metric tonnes of proven ore in Kabale and Kanungu areas;(ii) Phosphates - 230 million metric tonnes of proven Ore in Sigulu hills, Tororo;(iii) Cement - more than 300 million tonnes of Limestone in Karamoja areas in addition to the one in Hima;(iv) Aluminium clays - more than 3 billion tonnes of ore in Makuru areas in Bugweri;(v) Copper - more than 9 million tonnes in Kilembe areas;(vi) Cobalt - more than 5.5 million tonnes in Kisoro areas;(vii) Wolfram - more than 800,000 tonnes, in some parts of Kabaale viii) Tin - more than 1 million tonnes in Ruhaama Ntungamo areas;(ix) Gold - more than 8.2 million ounces in different parts of the country (x) Vermiculite - more than 54.9 million tonnes in some parts of the country; (xi) Columbite-tantalite (Coltan) 133 million tonnes (xiv) Rock salt and brine - 22 million tonnes in Katwe and some parts of the country (xv) Uranium - in some parts of the country Pressure is already on for exporting these minerals in unprocessed form. I will never accept these pressures. 

Most of these minerals will be processed here and will also be mixed with other minerals so as to produce intermediate products, such as alloyed steel and, where the economics allows,final products. Uranium, in the medium and long-term, could rescue us in the field of energy. We have a lot of it and nobody is touching it now on my orders. Meanwhile, like we did for petroleum, we have sent out our scientists for more advance training in nuclear physics. 

They will form a nuclear energy unit in the Ministry of Energy. Uganda does not have a lot of hydro-power even if you add all the sites that are not yet exploited:Kalagala, Isimba, Karuma, Ayago, Murchison falls, Kiba, Korianga,Agago, Muzizi; and over 40 small hydro-power sites. We shall have some more energy from the Geo-thermal (may be 1,000megawatts or there about). Yet a developed Uganda needs a lot energy ─ 50,000 megawatts or more. Where shall we get this level of energy from? If the cost per unit for solar energy goes down, then the solar energy will be the solution. Meanwhile, I prepare the country for the option of the nuclear energy.

Uganda's Economic Growth Performance:

The composite growth for the whole economy has improved even before the bottlenecks have been removed. The size of the Ugandan economy is expected to increase to Uganda Shillings 63.329 Trillion, equivalent to US Dollars 25.3billion. The size of the economy has increased by 5.7% 

 This Economic Growth rate is comparable to the 5.8% growth achieved in FY2012/13, despite constraints outside Government’s control. These constraints included unfavorable weather conditions in many parts of the country in the second half of 2013, which negatively impacted agricultural production. In addition, the ongoing instability in South Sudan, which had become one of Uganda’s export destinations, is also a factor impeding faster growth of the economy. 

Despite these constraints, output growth during FY 2013/14 still represents a strong performance. Growth was largely driven by strong performances in mining and quarrying, cash-crop production, informal manufacturing,wholesale and retail trade. Price Inflation has also remained under control during most of the year and is expected to be 7.9%percent at end of June 2014. 

Economic Growth and Welfare:The economic performance reveals the resilience of the Uganda economy that has resulted from the consistently correct policies of the NRM Government over the last twenty eight years.Consequently, the proportion of people living below the poverty line has further declined from above 56% in 1992 to 24.5%percent in 2009/10; and now to 19.7% in 2012/13. 

Uganda has surpassed the first MDG target of halving the proportion of the population living in extreme poverty by 2015. Some parts of the country have got even better performance figures. When the other areas catch up, Uganda will enter the Middle Income status.The share of population with access to electricity, for instance,has risen from under 3% in 1986 to 10% in 2009 to 14% in 2013.In rural areas, the share has risen from 0% to 7% over the same period. The NRM Government has set a target of 40% for electricity access by 2022. 

Over the next ten years, Government plans to increase access to Electricity in Rural areas to 26% of the total rural households. Similar examples abound in areas such as access to water, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary education;These indicators are therefore not mere talk, but actual reality on the ground.The above sectors of the economy cannot grow if we do not address the issue of infrastructure ─ the roads, electricity, the railway, the ICT backbone, etc. 

In the budget of 2013/014, Roads and Energy account for Shs.4,186.4 billions and Defence and Security account for Shs 1,048.5 billions. That will remain the orientation of our future plans. We are adding the development of the standard gauge railway from Mombasa-Kampala-Kigali-Juba,working with Kenyan brothers, brothers from South Sudan and from Rwanda as well as our Chinese friends. Low costs of production will attract more manufacturers and service companies.

 

New areas that had no electricity do so now ─ Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Amudat, Otukei, Moyo, Bibia, Bundibugyo, etc. The same has happened with roads.There is nothing that pleases me more than seeing new tarmac roads ─ especially those done with the Uganda Government money such the nearly finished Kampala –Masaka road, Mbarara-Kikagati, etc.The other area of emphasis is skills for the youth. Since sometime ago, we have been emphasizing that science knowledge and technical skills are crucial. 

That is why, since August, 2006, we had decided that 70% of Government scholarships for universities 20 will go to science students, however, Cabinet approved 53%.  

Three trends are noticeable. Trend one is that science graduates are going into starting manufacturing enterprises in association with others singly. Trend two is that those who did general arts degrees are going into farming and other enterprises. Trend three is that some of the scientists are being absorbed into the new companies that are opening up. I was most pleased to see the young graduates of electrical engineering running the machines at the new Bujagaali power station.One of the greatest stimuli for our economy to continue growing the global economic problems notwithstanding, is the regional market. 

It says in the Book of Galatians chapter 6, verse 7, it says that “whatever a man sows, that is what he will reap”.When a nation has no vision, it perishes, it says in another portion of the Bible. Our emphasis, with our brothers and sisters in the region, on regional integration has paid the Ugandans most handsomely. Uganda exports to the region goods and services to the tune of US$1.36 billions. We also buy from the region goods and services to the tune of US$ 671 millions.

Circumcision in Older Men Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk

By Esther Nakkazi
After the landmark research in 2007 that proved that adult male circumcision reduced the risk of acquiring HIV infection by 60 percent, a new research now proves that it has even more benefits, prevention of prostate cancer.

The findings, which are published in BJU International, May 29th, through the Wiley Press Room says research has found that circumcised men had a slightly lower risk, albeit not statistically significant, of developing prostate cancer than uncircumcised men.

The research shows that circumcision for especially black men who are older, 35 years and above, decreases their risk of prostate cancer acquisition by 45%, while those circumcised when they are children, one year or less have only 14% risk reduction.

"The strongest protective effect of circumcision was recorded in Black men, who had a 60% reduced risk if they were circumcised, but no association was found with other ancestral groups," researchers noted.

“This is a particularly interesting finding, as Black men have the highest rates of prostate cancer in the world and this has never been explained,” said Dr. Marie-Élise Parent PhD of the University of Quebec’s INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier who led the research team.

But he also noted that this novel finding warrants further examination in future studies that have a larger number of Black participants. Dr. Parent, PhD and Andrea Spence, PhD, of the University of Quebec’s INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier designed the study, called PROtEuS (Prostate Cancer and Environment Study).

It was an observational study to investigate the possible association between circumcision and prostate cancer risk, which included 1590 prostate cancer patients diagnosed in a Montréal hospital between 2005 and 2009, as well as 1618 healthy control individuals. In-person interviews were conducted to gather information on sociodemographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors.

According to the Wiley Press Release, Dr. Parent noted that circumcision may reduce the risk of contracting and maintaining a sexually transmitted infection, which has been postulated to be a risk factor for prostate cancer. This may explain the reduced risk of prostate cancer observed in males circumcised at a younger age prior to any potential exposure to infection.

“We do not know why a protective effect was observed for men circumcised after the age of 35. These men may have had a pathologic condition of the foreskin that lead to them being circumcised,” she said.
ends

Nutrition Key in First Months of HIV Medication

By Esther Nakkazi

At least one in every four HIV infected patients that are started on antiretroviral therapy (ART) die within the first three months of commencing the medication. Malnutrition, which causes the HIV-virus to develop more aggressively is to blame.

A team of researchers from University of Copenhagen, Denmark and Jimma University in Ethiopia have now shown that a dietary supplement given during the first three months of HIV treatment significantly improves the general condition of HIV patients.

For three months, patients received a daily supplement of 200 grams of peanut butter to which soy or whey protein, along with other vitamins and minerals, was added.

The advantage of the supplement is that it is rich in energy and nutrients and low in water content, allowing it to be better preserved in warm climates, said the study published in the journal BMJ May 15th 2014.

The supplement was originally developed for severely malnourished children, but modified for the research project to satisfy the needs of adults living with HIV.

The research project also demonstrated that it is possible to integrate short term nutritional supplementation into the lives of Ethiopian patients without disrupting cultural, social and religious practices regarding diet according to a press release on www.alphagalileo.org

According to this collaborative study, patients gained three times as much weight as those who took ART without the nutritional supplement. And, in contrast to the medication-only group, the supplement takers didn’t just gain fat – a third of their increased weight came from gained muscle mass.

"Furthermore, grip strength improved, and thereby the ability of patients to maintain their work and manage daily tasks," says PhD Mette Frahm Olsen, who is one of the project researchers and together with Alemseged Abdissa, the main author of the BMJ article.

About the the immune system, the study says it is suppressed by HIV, which was characterised by massive weight loss that made the role of nutrition impossible to ignore yet usually the significance of a nutritious diet in conjunction with HIV treatment is often forgotten.

"We know that malnutrition fuels the AIDS epidemic, in part because poor nutrition facilitates the virus’ attack on the human immune system. As a result, a patient’s doctor may believe, mistakenly, that the patient’s nutritional state has been normalised. However, if the patient has not had an adequate nutritious diet, the weight increase may be without benefit and consist mainly of fat," says PhD Mette Frahm Olsen.

About 25 million Africans live with HIV, many of whom now have access to antiretroviral treatment (ART).

Uganda and Kenya top the World in Newborn Deaths

By Esther Nakkazi
Uganda and Kenya, are among the only eight countries, which together account for more than half of all newborn deaths. Others are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Nigeria and Pakistan. 

Research shows early 8,000 newborn babies die every day (2·9 million deaths per year) worldwide. Half of these 4,000 newborn deaths per day are only in eight countries. In Uganda alone, there are 38,500 stillborns and 34,600 neonatal deaths every year or 200 babies are dying in birth every day, largely from preventable causes.

If this is not checked, a whole century will pass before a child born in for instance Uganda has the same chance of survival as one born in the UK or US say the health experts. They also warn that if newborn deaths continue to fall at current rates, international targets to reduce mortality in children will not be met.

The study is published in The Lancet May 19th 2014, as part of its Every Newborn Series, (check http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)60582-1/abstract) these are some of the countries with the highest burden of newborn and maternal deaths. The report provides comprehensive new data for 195 countries regarding neonatal deaths, stillbirths, rankings for countries, rates of progress and coverage of birth certification.

Among the factors identified by a group of global health experts led by Dr Kim Dickson, at UNICEF, USA, lack of skilled and competent healthcare workers was a common problem, lack of funding for newborn care, as was poor quality of care for mothers and their babies.

Additionally, the researchers found that with Kangaroo mother care, preventing and managing preterm births, providing inpatient care for small and ill babies, and managing infections were important impediments to progress across the countries studied. The study involved detailed consultations with more than 600 health professionals and policy makers.

For instance, in Uganda, these preventable deaths can be dramatically reduced via proven interventions like breastfeeding, neonatal resuscitation, Kangaroo mother care for preterm babies and antenatal corticosteroids. Better still, new data suggests that if these interventions were effectively implemented, Uganda could prevent 54,800 maternal and newborn deaths by 2025.

Dr Dickson said the findings show that increasing the numbers and skills of health care workers, as well as improving the quality of services available to mothers and their babies in many countries, will need immediate and deliberate attention if newborn health care is to improve in future decades, said a Press Release from http://www.alphagalileo.org/.

"Equitable access to high-quality, respectful care is a human right. To achieve the basic human right to survival, especially for small and ill babies, and a woman’s right to survival for both herself and her baby, needs a shift in norms to the universal resolve that no woman or baby should die needlessly – every woman, and every baby counts! To translate this shift into reality needs more investment, more medicines, and more health workers, including midwives and nurses with the skills and autonomy to provide the right care for every woman and every newborn baby,” he said.

Dr Elizabeth Mason, at the World Health Organization, Switzerland, and co-authors, identify priorities for action on improving maternal and newborn health, ahead of the World Health Assembly debate (scheduled for today 22 May) on the Every Newborn Action Plan, which provides an evidence-based roadmap towards care for every woman, and a healthy start for every newborn baby.

Cold Chicago in February

By Esther Nakkazi
Sun and Snow

On 11th February, I flew to Chicago from Kampala to attend two conferences; the Kavli Foundation on the Future of Science Journalism symposium, also sponsored by World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ) 17 – 19 February 2014. And the annual Association of American Advancement of Science (AAAS) 13-17 February.

It was from the hot sun to the cold with snow. It was also on one of these days in Chicago that I experienced the first snow storm in my entire life. But the cold was almost unbearable.

I still keep wondering (I am visiting friends at Michigan State University now): is it better to live with the sun like I do in Kampala or to live with the cold and snow like in Chicago and Michigan? By the way with both instances you almost keep indoors except that with the sun you can at least be outside in shade.

In Kampala the temperatures were soaring when I left (up to 38). To demonstrate it let me tell you what exactly happens. If you park your car outside, when you open it a gush of hot not warm air engulfs and almost chokes you. So you need about 5 minutes with all the doors open to cool it down. But even here during the winter you on the engine before you ride your car.

In Uganda, when you do laundry, -we wash with our hands and dry clothes in the sun- you could as well wash a dirty dress and wear it again after 15 minutes or less.

Or if you sleep under a treated mosquito net to prevent malaria like I do, you can hardly sleep under it at night. While the mosquitos would be buzzing around you the heat would make you uncomfortable under the mosquito net. It is a real balancing act.

Typically, in Kampala when I step out of my house, the blaze of the sun hits my eyes and I start sweating. In Michigan now, when I step out of the apartment, -which I rarely do-my body shivers because of the cold. My eyes hit the snow up to as far as they can go and I just see that whole mountain of snow swallowing me. I shiver.

My American friends had warned me that February was one of the worst months to travel to Chicago but I did not have much of a choice. I was not the conference organizer. I actually came in earlier, prior to the AAAS conference, which was held at the Hyatt Regency. I was staying at the cheap ($40 per day) Hostel International thinking I would look around Chicago. I underestimated the cold. It one time was minus 20.

The conference on science journalism, which enabled me to talk about the status of science journalism in Africa, had some of the smartest science journalists from prestigious science publications around the world. I really learnt so much.

I am still wondering, is it easier to live in the hot sun like in Kampala or the cold like in Michigan? I still do not know! Either way, I love it that I can compare the two experiences.

Prior and Preceding Statements on Anti-Gay Bill in Uganda

The Obama administration says :[W]e are cognizant that there are many who share our concerns about Ugandan President Museveni’s recent enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act. Ensuring justice and accountability for human rights violators like the LRA and protecting LGBT rights aren’t mutually exclusive. We can and must do both.

Accordingly, we have taken the following immediate steps while we continue to consider the implications of President Museveni’s decision to enact the Anti-Homosexuality Act and how to demonstrate our support for the LGBT community in Uganda, deter other countries from enacting similar laws, and reinforce our commitment to the promotion and defense of human rights for all people – including LGBT individuals – as a U.S. priority:

• We are shifting funding away from partners whose actions don’t reflect our values, including the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU). The IRCU’s public stance on homosexuality could foster an atmosphere of discrimination that runs counter to efforts to provide an effective and non-discriminatory response to the HIV/AIDSepidemic. While the IRCU will receive $2.3 million to ensure uninterrupted delivery of treatment to the 50,000 people under its care, we will shift the remaining $6.4 million of IRCU’s funding to other partners.
• An effective HIV strategy must reach and treat key at-risk populations. However, the act’s provisions against “promotion” and abetting homosexuality leave questions about what researchers, health workers, and others may do under the law. As a result, we are suspending the start of a survey to estimate the size of key at-risk populations that was to be conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Uganda’s Makarere University. Proceeding with the survey could pose a danger to respondents and staff.
• The act potentially threatens the safety of LGBT tourists in Uganda and the liberty of those who show support for Uganda’s LGBT community. Therefore, approximately $3 million in funding designated for tourism and biodiversity promotion will be redirected to NGOs working on biodiversity protection.
• We will shift the Department of Defense-sponsored Africa Air Chiefs Symposium and East Africa Military Intelligence Non-Commissioned Officer course to locations outside of Uganda. Certain near-term invitational travel for Ugandan military and police has been suspended or canceled.We continue to look at additional steps we may take, to work to protect LGBT individuals.

Uganda Muslim Supreme Council-  Kampala (Tuesday February 18th 2014)

The President’s Decision to Sign the Anti-Gay Bill is Very Welcome

I would like to commend President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his decision to sign the anti-gay bill. Once again, he has proved that he is a leader who has his country and his people at heart.

Since the passing of the bill by the parliament of Uganda, the President has been under a lot of pressure from the promoters of the homosexuality act around the world but despite the numerous threats he received, he put morality first.

It takes a courageous leader to defy all the western powers who have gone as far a threatening to cut off aid to Uganda incase the president signs the anti-gay bill. It is now the duty of all Ugandans to rally behind the President because the coming days, weeks, months and years may not be easy for the country.

Let us unite behind our leader, abide by the laws, fight corruption, give our children relevant skills, work hard and accumulate enough wealth that will make us economically more independent and therefore less dependent on aid from the western world.

I would also like to commend His Eminence the Mufti of Uganda Shk. Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje and other religious leaders who openly and consistently supported the anti-gay bill and encouraged the President to sign instead of bowing to pressure from the promoters of homosexuality.

I cannot forget to commend our parliament under the leadership of the Rt. Hon. Speaker Rebecca Kadaga – the no nonsense lady; for passing this very important bill. I also thank the NRM parliamentarians who attended the recent workshop in Kyankwanzi for giving our president the last bit of courage he needed to sign the anti-gay bill into law.

This however does not mean that homosexuality is now finished. The anti-gay law will only strengthen the fight against this foreign and inhuman act. The struggle continues because with this development, the so called gay activists are going to descend on Uganda with all their resources and try to turn our country into a homosexuality hub in Africa.

We should therefore be on the alert and ready to fight and defeat these perpetrators of homosexuality. If we do not act now, our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will not be safe and this will put the future of this country in jeopardy.

Those who have read and still remember what happened to Sodomy and Gomora and those who believe in the true teachings of God as well as those who understand and respect nature should know what I am talking about.

Thank you very much President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for showing leadership.

 Haji Nsereko Mutumba

Public Relations Officer

Uganda Muslim Supreme Council

Tel: 0701409504 or 0772409504

Email: pro_umsc@yahoo.com

Facebook page: Uganda Muslim Supreme Council/PRO’s Office

Blog: http://umsccommunications.blogspot.com

Open letter from public health clinicians, researchers, and academics regarding Uganda’s

Anti-Homosexuality Bill "

To His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda:

We, the undersigned, are writing out of grave concern regarding the likely implications of Uganda’s Anti Homosexuality Bill(“the Bill”) should it be passed into law. We are clinicians, researchers and academics working in the field of public health.

Many of us have extensive experience providing physical and mental health services and doing public health-focused research in sub-Saharan Africa.

We note that Ugandan experts, including Uganda’s Human Rights Commission and the Uganda Law Society, have studied this Bill and found that it violates obligations under Uganda’s Constitution to protect and uphold fundamental freedoms of its people. This Bill also contradicts scientific evidence regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

 In your letter sent on December 28 to the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, you have expressed an interest in deliberating over evidence and science regarding sexual orientation and arriving at a “scientifically correct position” on the Bill. The purpose of this open letter is to focus on areas of particular concern to us as public health 1 experts, beyond our fundamental support for the human rights and human dignity of all Ugandans: 1) the overwhelming evidence about homosexuality and the myths perpetuated by the Bill and 2) the likely public health implications of this Bill, should it become law in Uganda.

1. Myths and Facts About Homosexuality

Your December 28 letter questions: a) whether homosexuality is an abnormality and b) whether homosexuality is a condition of which a person can be “cured” or “rescued.”

Evidence from independent technical normative agencies and respected medical and sociological professional bodies around the world could not be more clear in response to both questions: Homosexuality is not a pathology, an abnormality, a mental disorder, or an illness—it is a variant of sexual behavior found in people around the world.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are normal. According to Uganda’s national diagnostics and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM), homosexuality is not classified as a mental disorder. Neither is homosexuality a condition from which a person can be “converted.” Despite claims to the contrary, there is no rigorous and peer reviewed scientific evidence that a person who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered can be “cured.”

The Bill’s claim to protect children and families in Uganda appears to be derived from the harmful myth that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people pose a graver risk to children and families than people of other sexual orientations.

There is no such evidence—lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people pose no greater risk to children than heterosexuals. In fact, sexual and physical violence experienced all too routinely by children and adolescents in Uganda would be unaddressed by this Bill. Implementation of this Bill would likely deplete the already limited resources invested in Uganda into robust investigations and prosecutions of cases of violence against children. Rather, the limited funds would be wasted on hunts by police for consenting adults suspected or accused of being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. !

2. Undermining public health and human rights

This Bill would further exacerbate the marginalization, discrimination and exclusion of people known to or suspected of being homosexual. Research shows that laws and policies that increase stigma and discrimination among groups of people mean those people are less able to access health services because of fear of arrest, intimidation, violence, and discrimination. ( examples edited out-ED)

Ironically, the Bill’s clause prohibiting the “promotion of homosexuality” as well as “aiding and abetting homosexuality” would criminalize urgently needed service delivery for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

The Government of Uganda recently announced plans to implement government funded clinics designed to reach men who have sex with men and sex workers. 7 This Bill, if passed into law, would sabotage such efforts by criminalizing them. This will have a disastrous impact on the response of the nation as a whole to HIV as well as other public health priorities. This clause would also put international and national health service providers funded by international donors at risk of criminal prosecution if they discuss homosexuality in the course of their work.

The Bill conflicts with a health worker’s basic ethical obligation not to discriminate in the provision of medical services and would create a culture of fear of arrest and imprisonment among service providers. While a clause in earlier versions of the Bill that anyone suspected of being homosexual be reported to police might have been removed from the Bill that Parliament passed, the clause prohibiting promotion, aiding and abetting homosexuality would still force health workers to discriminate.

 Contrary to recent claims that health workers in Uganda do not engage in discrimination when providing services, Ugandans seeking health services in the public and private sectors frequently report being questioned by health workers about their sexual activities and marital status—creating for LGBT populations a legitimate fear of retaliation and discrimination if they are honest about their sexual orientation. This climate of fear would be markedly increased should the Bill become law.

Scientific research also shows a powerful association between homophobic abuse and violence and increased vulnerability to HIV. This is not due to an intrinsic condition of homosexuality, but a harmful effect of homophobia.

For example, men who have sex with men in Kampala who have experienced verbal or physical homophobic abuse are five times more likely to be HIV positive than men who have sex with men who have not experienced such abuse, 8 indicating a strong association between stigma and intolerance and HIV infection risk. Hatred and stigma drives vulnerable and isolated communities such as men who have sex with men further from essential preventative and curative health services.

We believe this Bill should not be passed into law—it blatantly defies highly corroborated scientific evidence and it would have a harmful impact on public health, human rights, and the freedom of all people to enjoy freedom from discrimination in Uganda. We implore that you veto this Bill in all forms. We note that Ugandan politicians and policymakers will meet February 6 in Kyankwanzi, Uganda where this issue will be discussed amongst the National Resistance Movement Caucus.

Representatives of our group of signatories request the opportunity to join you in Kyankwanzi to share scientific evidence face-to-face, given the intense interest this topic has generated, apparent misinformation among decision makers, and the Bill’s serious consequences for Ugandans should it be passed into law.   

Organizations and individuals edited out -ED:

A statement from Dr. Vanessa Kerry, MD, MSc, CEO of Seed Global Health , responding to Ugandan President Museveni signing anti-gay legislation :

“News of Ugandan President Museveni signing into law legislation criminalizing homosexuality has attracted the outcry of many, including the Obama Administration, and I - along with our team at Seed Global Health - loudly join this chorus calling for repeal.

This issue is especially important to Seed Global Health, and me personally, because of our mission. We strive to help improve the health of all where we work by supporting US doctors and nurses to help train a new generation of medical and nursing providers in Uganda and other countries.

We and our Ugandan partners can’t do this if patients are at risk disclosing their sexual orientation and doctors and nurses are put in harm’s way for treating gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) Ugandans. Furthermore, we are restricted from safely sending volunteers to Uganda who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender themselves.

Any effort to outlaw or push LGBT Ugandans out of sight is wrong. It hurts Uganda, the health of all its population, and the ability to treat all its citizens with the fundamental rights and dignity they and we all deserve. We believe Ugandans and the world deserve better. Please join us in calling for repeal and condemning this law."

This statement has been posted on Seed Global Health’s Facebook page .

Please email Bridget DeSimone at bdesimone@burnesscommunications.com or call 301-280-5735 if you would like to speak to someone withSeed Global Health .

Study on Anti-Homosexuality in the World

This study of gay brothers, reported elsewhere in the world, is relevant to Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill but has not received any coverage there. 

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/02/14/new-study-of-gay-brothers-renews-interest-in-genetic-factors-in-homosexuality/

This study as well as many others is a reason why over 200 scientists and researchers from around the world wrote a letter to President Museveni regarding scientific consensus on homosexuality. (see attached letter)

The simple facts are that choice has nothing to do with experiencing attractions to the same sex. The Anti-gay law will not change anyone from gay to straight and will be fundamentally unfair as a result. 

Warren Throckmorton, PhD

Professor Psychology

Grove City College

President Yoweri Museveni’s speech on signing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill

It seems the topic of homosexuals was provoked by the arrogant and careless Western groups that are fond of coming into our schools and recruiting young children into homosexuality and lesbianism, just as they carelessly handle other issues concerning Africa.  Initially, I did not pay much attention to it because I was busy with the immediate issues of defence, security, electricity, the roads, the railways, factories, modernization of agriculture, etc.

When, eventually, I concentrated my mind on it, I distilled three problems: those who were promoting homo-sexuality and recruiting normal people into it; as a consequence of No. 1 above, many of those recruited were doing so for mercenary reasons – to get money – in effect homosexual prostitutes; these mercenary homosexual prostitutes had to be punished; homosexuals exhibiting themselves; Africans are flabbergasted by exhibitionism of sexual acts – whether heterosexual or otherwise and for good reason.  Why do you exhibit your sexual conduct? Are you short of opportunity for privacy - where you can kiss, fondle (kukirigiita, kwagaaga) etc.?  Are we interested in seeing your sexual acts – we the Public?  I am not able to understand the logic of the Western Culture.  However, we Africans always keep our opinions to ourselves and never seek to impose our point of view on the others.  If only they could let us alone.

It was my view that the above three should be punished harshly in order to defend our society from disorientation.  Therefore, on these three I was in total accord with the MPs and other Ugandans. I had, however, a problem with Category 4 or what I thought was category 4 – those “born” homosexual.  I thought there were such people – those who are either genetic or congenital homosexuals.  The reason I thought so was because I could not understand why a man could fail to be attracted to the beauties of a woman and, instead, be attracted to a fellow man.  It meant, according to me, that there was something wrong with that man – he was born a homosexual – abnormal.

I, therefore, thought that it would be wrong to punish somebody because of how he was created, disgusting though it may be to us.  That is why I refused to sign the Bill.  In order to get to the truth, we involved Uganda Scientists as well as consulting Scientists from outside Uganda.  My question to them was: “Are there people that are homosexual right from birth?”. 

After exhaustive studies, it has been found that homosexuality is in two categories:  there are those who engage in homosexuality for mercenary reasons on account of the under – developed sectors of our economy that cause people to remain in poverty, the great opportunities that abound not withstanding; and then there are those that become homosexual by both nature (genetic) and nurture (up-bringing). 

The studies that were done on identical twins in Sweden showed that 34% - 39% were homosexual on account of nature and 66% were homosexual on account of nurture.  Therefore, even in those studies, nurture was more significant than nature.  Can somebody be homosexual purely by nature without nurture?  The answer is: “No”.  No study has shown that.  Since nurture is the main cause of homosexuality, then society can do something about it to discourage the trends.  That is why I have agreed to sign the Bill.

Since Western societies do not appreciate politeness, let me take this opportunity to warn our people publicly about the wrong practices indulged in and promoted by some of the outsiders.  One of them is “oral sex”.  Our youth should reject this because God designed the human being most appropriately for pleasurable, sustainable and healthy sex.  Some of the traditional styles are very pleasurable and healthy.

The mouth is not engineered for that purpose except kissing.  Besides, it is very unhealthy.  People can even contract gonorrhea of the mouth and throat on account of so-called “oral sex”, not to mention worms, hepatitis E, etc.

The Ministry of Gender and Youth should de-campaign this buyayism imported from outside and sensitize the youth about the healthy life style that is abundant in our cultures.  We reject the notion that somebody can be homosexual by choice; that a man can choose to love a fellow man; that sexual orientation is a matter of choice.

Since my original thesis that there may be people who are born homosexual has been disproved by science, then the homosexuals have lost the argument in Uganda.  They should rehabilitate themselves and society should assist them to do so.

Yoweri K. Museveni Gen. (Rtd)

P R E S I D E N T

24th February, 2014.

Uganda issues new HIV Treatment Guidelines

By Esther Nakkazi
Uganda has passed new updated HIV treatment guidelines that are integrated in the general healthcare family-centered system and promote sustainability of HIV services-treatment and care.

The new or revised guidelines first developed in 2011, incorporate the 2013 World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations like expanding the eligibility criteria for ART by raising the cut-off CD4 point to 500cells/mm and to target key populations like sero-discordance.

They have also incorporated scientific evidence from existing national programs and promote integration of HIV services into the existing health care system in order to ensure universal access.

“These guidelines have been developed as an addendum to the 2011 National ART Integrated Guidelines for use by health workers at all levels of service delivery,” said Dr. Ruth Jane Aceng, the Director General health services Ministry of Health.

In effect, they will assist health workers to provide high quality and standardized HIV prevention, care and treatment services to people living with HIV.

Dr. Aceng said the key areas that have been incorporated in the 2013 guidelines are diagnosis and management of Cryptococcal infections, family planning in the context of HIV, which areas were not well addressed previously.

The new guidelines also recommend treating all children below 15 years irrespective of their CD4 count in order to improve enrolment of children into care and treatment. They also address key aspects of adolescents.

They consider key populations like Serodiscordants and TB patients co-infected with HIV who should be commenced on combination ART regardless of their CD4 count, recommend initiation of family planning services as an integral component of ART services- as women attending ART clinics have sustained contact with health workers and this can be used as an opportunity to provide them with family planning services.

Alice Kayongo Mutebi an HIV activist and advocate thanked fellow HIV advocates for all their efforts invested in influencing the adoption of these guidelines. “I am sure implementation of the same should start immediately,” she said.

The antiretroviral guidelines recommend that to prevent and Cryptococcal Disease in HIV, the health workers should carry out early screening and prevention of cryptococcal disease and its diagnosis.

Since 2011, the Ministry of Health has rolled out comprehensive HIV prevention, care and treatment with a significant focus on Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT), Infant Young Child feeding (IYCF), rapid scale up of ART among adults and children.

It has also developed integrated ART, eMTCT and IYCF guidelines. The current guidelines will facilitate integration of all these services and promote a family-centered approach to HIV prevention and care, treatment, a statement from Ministry of Health says.

They emphasize service integration and linkage especially in lifelong treatment for pregnant mothers. ART should be initiated and maintained in eligible pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and in infants at maternal and child health care settings with linkage and referral to ongoing HIV care and ART 18 months after delivery. They also recommend interventions like Mobile phone text messaging as a reminder tool for promoting adherence to ART as part of a package of adherence interventions.

Ends-