GOVERNMENT ACCREDITS 4TH PRIVATE ART CLINIC IN FORT PORTAL

BY Musa Polite

www.mknewslink.com

In Fort portal

Government of Uganda through the ministry of health has accredited Youth And Women Empowerment (YAWE) foundation, a health department of a non-government organization a private medical facility   to offer ART clinic services in Fort Portal city.

The accreditation aims at helping to increase accessibility of HIV/AIDS services in the community.

Catherine Kemigabo, the Kabarole district HIV/AIDS focal person who doubles as the district health educator says that YAWE has been added to KIDA hospital, Virika Hospital and Kabarole hospital as a separate ART clinic because they proved to work beyond self as they helped the district to recover over 80% of the HIV patients who had dropped from the ARVs medication during COVID 19.

She added that the facility will order its stock of drugs directly from the National drug Authority through Kabarole district health department and the district health authorities will keep monitoring them for effective services.

During the launch of the ART clinic at YAWE offices in Rwengoma Fort Portal on friday , George William Akora, the executive director Youth And Women Empowerment (YAWE) noted that despite services coming nearer, youths living with HIV/AIDS have faced discrimination.

 He explained that some are sacked from work after employers knowing that they are positive while some are laid off from work after developing some skin problems as a result of the disease.

He is advocating for a special help directed to such special interest people and called upon the government to consider accrediting YAWE to offer all kinds of drugs for opportunistic infections so as to save such people from discrimination while receiving treatment from other hospitals.

Hon. Alex Ruhunda, the fort portal city Member of Parliament pledged to invite funders to increase technical support to the organization.