Where Policy and Advocacy Meet 

By Cynthia E. Pacutho, Administrator RMPU

On Tuesday 28th April, 2021 Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Malaria (UPFM) invited RMPU alongside various Malaria stakeholders to a high-level meeting with Rt. Hon. Rebecca A. Kadaga the Speaker of Parliament. PDG Rosette Nabumba informed those present that Rotary is well placed to support the Malaria fight due to their success in projects, zero tolerance for fraud, polio elimination track record and over 200 Rotary and Rotaract clubs countrywide. The Hon. Speaker welcomed this support, acknowledged the proximity of Rotary clubs in every constituency.  

UPFM is a registered organization formed as a result of a resolution of Parliament and launched by His Excellency the President on the 5th of April 2018. It is a platform of Members of Parliament from different political shades who collectively generate visibility and provide leadership to the control and eventual elimination of Malaria through Advocacy.  

On Thursday 17th June 2021, UPFM hosted RMPU to a meeting to discuss a collaboration to highlight the state of “Malaria during Covid19” across the country. To increase focus on Malaria management during the COVID19 lockdown, a press briefing was part of the meeting to draw attention to the effect of the tight control measures aimed at keeping infections in check which, while useful in preventing the spread of the virus, have had adverse effects on health seeking and service delivery. Measures have since been made more flexible for patients and health workers to seek and provide treatment respectively.