Right to Left: Francis Xavier Ssentamu: Member; Dr Joel Francis Okalany: Chairman; Robinah Lubwama Lutaaya: Treasurer; Ssebunya Kizza: CEO; Royce Gloria Androa: Member; Kenneth Wycliffe Mugisha: Member; Jacob Senduala: Rotarian; Solomon Ossiya: Secretary; Hon Moses Balyeku.
At a country level Uganda’s fight against malaria is ready for a significant lift off even as more effort is being placed by different stakeholders to eliminate malaria. With a growing recognition that the current movement must move from just control to elimination the Ministry of Health acknowledges that all stakeholders must be rallied if any success is to be registered. Malaria Partners InternationalU comes on board at a time when the Ministry of Health acknowledges that advocacy is a key missing link in the fight against malaria
It is the target of Malaria Partners InternationalU to become an advocacy lead on fighting Malaria utilizing the full potential and brand of Rotary to leverage and rally support.
June 2019 was in earnest a start up month for Malaria Partners InternationalU operations with the completion of legal registration and set up of offices. Malaria Partners InternationalU set up working board arrangements with key functions established for Finance and Administration and conducted a combined 1st Board Meeting and strategic Planning workshop on the 19th and 20th June. The workshop was facilitated by the Board Program lead- Ossiya Solomon and had sessions facilitated by Dr Opigo, Program Manager for the Uganda National Malaria Control Department, and Mr. Philip Okello Apira, the Rollback Malaria (RBM) Private Sector Chair .§ On the 22nd June, on the invitation of Malaria Partners InternationalU Board, and at the home of the outgoing District Governor Ken Mugisha, Dr Opigo made an initial presentation to all country Rotary Presidents on the status of Malaria in Uganda and the role of advocacy towards elimination of Malaria.
Next Steps for July 2019 Malaria Partners InternationalU has an aggressive set of actions as next steps after completion of office set up and operational requirements, including initiating discussion with the Uganda Parliamentary Forum of Malaria to determine common ground and pitch for a Rotary Mega fellowship with Parliamentarians; establishing Malaria Partners InternationalU’s calendar in synch with the Ministry of Health’s calendar,; completion of the 1st draft of the Malaria Partners InternationalU Strategic plan; organizing a visit by the Malaria Partners InternationalU team to Katakwi Pilgrim Africa project site, and organizing for the national launch of Malaria Partners InternationalU.