U.S. GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN UGANDA’S MEDICAL EDUCATION

Friday July 15, 2011

The United States is investing $130 million over five years to transform and improve African medical education and dramatically increase the number of health care workers in Uganda.

The PEPFAR-supported grant will fund curriculum improvement, increase the number of doctors trained, and broaden the geographic scope of their training. Through the Medical Education Partnership Initiative, grants will be awarded directly to African institutions in a dozen countries, working in partnership with U.S. medical schools and universities.

Last October, MEPI awarded over $2 million per year for five years to the Medical Education Partnership for All Ugandans - a consortium of five Ugandan medical schools.
U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Jerry P. Lanier joined Professor Nelson Sewankambo, other notable academics, and government officials at the launch.

Ambassador Lanier said, “The MESAU-MEPI partnership will allow one main health priority-- HIV/AIDS-- to drive improvements in the Ugandan health system and to provide care for a broader range of conditions.

Ugandan medical training institutions will be able to broaden their curricula to expand training on non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, and on family and community-based medicine, as well as on HIV/AIDS care and treatment.”

PEPFAR, the cornerstone of President Obama's Global Health Initiative, seeks to strengthen health systems, expand service delivery, and improve the policy environment. In Uganda alone, the American people will invest $300 million this year in these areas.