20/03/2019
Sensitise Uganda and Youth Budget Advocacy Allaince (YBAA) with support from Uganda Youth Network (UYONET) Localising the Promise - Uganda Crossing Borders and CISU - Civilsamfund i Udvikling will conduct A Digital Radio Talk show on Health financing in Uganda at YEC Digital Radio at https://yecuganda.org/
THEME: "The state of Health service Deliver and Financing in Uganda: Youth perspective
Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world. The 2016 Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS) indicates that 69% of Uganda’s population are young people below the age of 24.
Young people in Uganda are sexually active (either by choice or as result of sexual violence), with the average age of first sexual encounter estimated at 15 years. It is no wonder that we are seeing a rise in teenage pregnancies, now estimated at 25%. According to UNAIDS report, an estimated rate of 500 girls get infected with HIV every week. Girls as young as 10 years have had unsafe abortions, contributing to the high maternal mortality ratio of 336 per 100,000 live births (Annual health sector performance report). In fact, research indicates that Uganda has one of the highest rates of unsafe abortion in Eastern Africa with an estimated rate of 54 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age, which is far higher than the average of 39 abortions per 1,000 women in East Africa.
The maternal and perinatal death review found that unsafe abortion is the first or second contributing factor to preventable maternal morbidity and mortality in Uganda. It also places a huge strain on the public health system; the Government of Uganda spends approximately 7.5 billion shillings in providing post-abortion care to treat complications as a result of unsafe abortion, yet this money can be allocated to other areas of health to improve health service delivery. Amidst all these challenges, the resource envelope for health continues to shrink, yet, evidence shows that for every dollar spent on family planning, we save 5 dollars spent on treating complications from unsafe abortions. In order to harness the Demographic Dividend, we need young people to delay pregnancy, access contraceptives and economically empower them. However, the current trend demonstrates limited investment in the health of young people. The government of Uganda allocates only 8% to health sector which is still below 15% of the Abuja declaration commitment. Analysis of the Health sector budget share of the national budget shows a decline which will greatly affect access to SRHR services.
It’s upon this background that Sensitise Ugandawith support from Uganda Youth Network (UYONET) Borders, Youth Line Forum (Y.L.FM) and partners including the Equality Centre, Here Right Now are holding an online Radio Talk show to address health financing gaps in Uganda with a call to policy makers to prioritize sexual and reproductive health and rights for adolescents and young women in the national budget 2019/2020.
Reproductive Health Uganda Embassy of Sweden in Kampala U.S. Embassy Kampala Embassy of Denmark in Uganda Youth Equality Center - YEC HER VOICE FUND Network for Active Citizens Uganda Ngabo Youth Friendly Service Centre Nysc UNFPA Uganda UNFPA Digital Opportunity Trust Public Policy Institute Femme Forte Uganda SRHR Alliance Uganda Kenya SRHR Alliance Global Fund Advocates Network The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum - UYAHF National Population Council Uganda - NPC Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group - CSBAG Open Space Forum Open Society Foundations ActionAid Uganda Page AFFCAD - Action For Fundamental Change And Development Action For Development Together for Girls CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation One Young World African Network (OYWAN) One Young World
