By Gilbert Akampa and Ezra Kashumbusha,
NATIONAL
The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Finance Dr. Diana Atwine has urgued innovators to design human centered innovations that provide solutions to local problems.
This was at the 8th Annual CamTech Uganda 2022 exhibition held at Mbarara University of Science and Technology under the theme; “Building a resilient Healthcare system in the era of emerging pandemics through innovation.”
Dr. Atwine who was represented by Dr. Celestine Barigye, the Director Mbarara Referral Hospital said that without the innovation approaches deployed by the Ministry of Health it would be difficult to respond to the ever emerging and re-ermerging health problems.
“Overtime , Uganda a low developing nation has shocked many in handling epidemics such as Yellow fever and Crimean Congo Hermorrhagic fever with the latest being COVID 19. This has been done by bringing together experts and partners to develop and implement interdisciplinary approaches to respond to health care crisis, ” Dr. Atwine explained
In his remarks, Dr Barigye asked innovators to come up with research on environmental friendly innovations.
The Mbarara Referral Hospital PUblic Relations Officer, Halson Kagure also disclosed that the hospital recently acquired a state of art laboratory facility through support from American people which he said will increase health related innovation.
“Being a teaching affiliate of Mbarara University and other medical schools means that we support medical students to develop their ideas,” Kagure said
Speaking during the exhibition, Dr Data Santorino, the Country director of CAMTech Uganda said that there’s a thin or no line between innovation and health. He added that they always follow up innovators and encourage them not to stop at the annual exhibition.
