The $583 million five-year Health Sector Integrated Refugee Response Plan (HSIRRP) was launched by Uganda’s Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda, in Kampala Friday under the theme: “Universal Health Coverage for All.”
The plan will integrate the health response for refugees and host communities in districts to ensure equitable access to quality health services, improved health status, harmonious co-existence and mobilize additional health resources to augment resources provided by government to support and build a resilient health system.
The HSIRRP will not only benefit the refugees, but also the more than seven million host communities across the refugee-hosting districts in Uganda.
Uganda hosts the largest number of refugees in Africa, numbering 1.19 million refugees, and is the third refugee-hosting country worldwide.
The plan was developed within the context of the Global Compact on Refugees recently adopted by a number of states, and confirms Uganda’s leading global role.
According to Uganda’s health minister the funds will cover the construction of new health facilities in communities, and recruit medical personnel to close the labour gap in health facilities.
The response plan also seeks to increase the medicines and medical supplies available for the communities.