In an effort to enhance preparedness for health emergencies, the World Bank, in collaboration with the Government, has procured 220 motorcycles.

The motorcycles are intended to provide crucial assistance in surveillance operations across 12 refugee-hosting districts.

During the official handover ceremony at the health ministry headquarters in Kampala on Thursday, health minister Jane Ruth Aceng warned Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) to be vigilant this month (August) up to the end of the year, as this period is historically susceptible to disease outbreaks in Uganda.

The procurement of motorcycles was made possible through a portion of the $195.5 million grant given to the health ministry by the World Bank for the Uganda COVID-19 Response and Emergency Preparedness (UCREPP) project.

The 12 refugee-hosting districts benefiting from this initiative include Yumbe, Madi-Okollo, Kyegegwa, Kikuube, Isingiro, Terego, Lamoro, Kirandongo, Koboko, Obongi, and Adjumani.

Aceng said primary health care has been integrated in the UCREPP project and refugees need to enjoy the benefits.

She also stressed the importance of preventing, detecting and responding to COVID-19 in the refugee-hosting districts, as well as strengthening the national public health emergency preparedness systems in Uganda.

Apart from supporting surveillance activities, the motorcycles are also expected to facilitate the provision of mental health, psychosocial services and assistance to victims of gender-based violence and violence against children in the 12 districts.

To enhance data collection and information management, the director public health at the ministry of health, Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, said the 12 districts have also received 457 laptops, which will be used to compute and digitise the information gathered in the refugee camps.

The motorcycles and laptops were procured at sh5b, drawn from a $30m grant to implement refugee health activities under UCREPP.  The other activities include construction of hospitals and health facilities within the 12 RHDs.

Uganda currently hosts about 1.5 million refugees primarily from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea and Somalia. This initiative is expected to significantly bolster their healthcare services during emergencies.