Uganda's experience in Ebola virus disease outbreak preparedness, 2018-2019.

BACKGROUND: Since the declaration of the 10th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in DRC on 1st Aug 2018, several neighboring countries have been developing and implementing preparedness efforts to prevent EVD cross-border transmission to enable timely detection, investigation, and response in the event of a confirmed EVD outbreak in the country. We describe Uganda's experience in EVD preparedness. RESULTS: On 4 August 2018, the Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH) activated the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) and the National Task Force (NTF) for public health emergencies to plan, guide, and coordinate EVD preparedness in the country. The NTF selected an Incident Management Team (IMT), constituting a National Rapid Response Team (NRRT) that supported activation of the District Task Forces (DTFs) and District Rapid Response Teams (DRRTs) that jointly assessed levels of preparedness in 30 designated high-risk districts representing category 1 (20 districts) and category 2 (10 districts). The MoH, with technical guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO), led EVD preparedness activities and worked together with other ministries and partner organisations to enhance community-based surveillance systems, develop and disseminate risk communication messages, engage communities, reinforce EVD screening and infection prevention measures at Points of Entry (PoEs) and in high-risk health facilities, construct and equip EVD isolation and treatment units, and establish coordination and procurement mechanisms. CONCLUSION: As of 31 May 2019, there was no confirmed case of EVD as Uganda has continued to make significant and verifiable progress in EVD preparedness. There is a need to sustain these efforts, not only in EVD preparedness but also across the entire spectrum of a multi-hazard framework. These efforts strengthen country capacity and compel the country to avail resources for preparedness and management of incidents at the source while effectively cutting costs of using a "fire-fighting" approach during public health emergencies

Prevalence and risk factors of latent Tuberculosis among adolescents in rural Eastern Uganda

Background: Latent Tuberculosis treatment is a key tuberculosis control intervention. Adolescents are a high risk group that is not routinely treated in low income countries. Knowledge of latent Tuberculosis (TB) burden among adolescents may influence policy. Objectives: We determined the prevalence and risk factors of latent TB infection among adolescents in rural Uganda. Methods: We analyzed baseline data from a study that assessed the prevalence and incidence of Tuberculosis disease among adolescents. We extracted socio-demographics, medical assessment information, and tuberculin skin test results and estimated prevalence ratios (PR) of latent TB infection risk factors by binomial regression. Results: The prevalence of latent TB was 16.1%, 95% CI (15.1 – 17.2). Significant risk factors were: a BCG scar, APR 1.29 (95% CI 1.12 – 1.48); male gender, APR 1.37 (95% CI 1.21 – 1.56); age 17 -18 years, APR 1.46 (95% CI 1.24 – 1.71) and 15-16 years, APR 1.25 (95% CI 1.07 – 1.46) compared to 12-14 years; being out of school, APR 1.31 (95% CI 1.05 – 1.62); and a known history of household TB contact in last 2 years, APR 1.91 (95% CI 1.55 – 2.35). Conclusion: Targeted routine latent TB treatment among adolescents out of school may be crucial for TB disease control in low income countries

Veterinary and public health aspects in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus niloticus) aquaculture in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.

SUMMARY - The European INCO-DEV BOMOSA Project (Integrating BOMOSA cage fish farming systems in reservoirs, ponds and temporary water bodies in Eastern Africa) intends to establish small scale fish farming in marginal water bodies in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia, creating rural aquaculture networks with the aim to economically integrate aquaculture with agriculture. In order to study veterinary and public health aspects in Bomosa fish farming systems, a parasitological survey on wild and cultured tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus niloticus) has been carried out from March 2007 to October 2008. A total of 982 tilapias - 685 from Kenya, 222 from Uganda and 75 from Ethiopia - were sampled and subjected to complete parasitological examination. During the survey, fish from different environments (258 from open water reservoirs, 445 from ponds and 279 from BOMOSA cages) were sampled in order to evaluate the factors which could influence the parasite diffusion and outbreak of diseases. Quantitative data, such as prevalence, intensity and abundance, and qualitative data are presented together with the main abiotic and biotic risk factors identified as relevant for veterinary and public health aspects in tilapia aquaculture. RIASSUNTO - Nell\u2019ambito del progetto europeo INCO-DEV \u201cIntegrating BOMOSA cage fish farming systems in reservoirs, ponds and temporary water bodied in Eastern Africa\u201d si \ue8 condotto uno studio sui fattori sanitari di carattere strettamente veterinario e di potenziale interesse in sanit\ue0 pubblica che possono interessare l\u2019allevamento della tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus niloticus) in Kenya, Uganda ed Etiopia. Sono state sottoposte ad esami necroscopici e parassitologici 982 tilapie - 685 dal Kenya, 222 dall\u2019Uganda e 75 dall\u2019Etiopia. Dei soggetti esaminati, 258 provenivano da acque libere, 445 erano allevati in bacini in terra e 279 in gabbie galleggianti approntate secondo il sistema \u201cBOMOSA\u201d, sperimentato nell\u2019ambito del progetto al fine di garantire un migliore sfruttamento di risorse idriche marginali e temporanee e una gestione semplificata da parte delle comunit\ue0 locali. Vengono presentati i risultati quantitativi (prevalenza, intensit\ue0, abbondanza) e qualitativi delle indagini parassitologiche, unitamente alla descrizione dei fattori di rischio abiotici e biotici individuati in relazione agli aspetti veterinari e di sanit\ue0 pubblica che possono interessare le tilapie allevate nei sistemi acquatici presi in considerazione

Cooperative governance and social performance of cooperative societies

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between cooperative governance and non-financial performance of cooperative societies in Uganda. The study used cross-sectional design and data were collected from 293 cooperative societies in Uganda. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to develop measurement model and test statistical modeling. The findings revealed a significant and positive relationship between monitoring rights and social performance. Besides, there was also a significant and positive relationship between innovation and social performance. However, the relationship between ratification of management decisions and social performance, and policy compliance and social performance was not statistically significant. Overall, cooperative governance was a good predictor of social performance. The paper contributes to the literature by identifying predictors of social performance in cooperative societies from a developing country perspective