By Abdu Kimera
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health has revealed that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will officiate this year’s Heroes in Health awards gala that will be held on November 24.
The Heroes in Health is a program that complements several initiatives that seek to motivate different players and stakeholders in the health sector.
At the launch held at the Health Ministry headquarters in Kampala, Aceng said that the government of Uganda acknowledges that the health workforce is the backbone of the health sector, and also without health workers, the country is unable to achieve the desired impact.
“Our health workers work in the most resource-constrained settings and they serve overwhelming numbers in a bid to save lives every day with that, we are cognizant of the fact that they need to be motivated and recognized” Aceng added.
These awards that were introduced in 2020 seek to recognize individuals and institutions that are making extraordinary contributions to the health sector in Uganda and are held under the theme “Rebuilding the Health Sector with Innovation and Creativity”
This year’s awards according to Aceng will have 21 categories across the country that will include the Lifetime Achievement Award, Media excellence in Health, Doctor of the Year, Pharmacist of the year, Award of Excellence in Palliative care, Health care Leadership Award, Student Innovation award amongst others and nominations can only be submitted have through hihaawards.com/nomination-form.
“For nominees to emerge as winners, there must be demonstrated evidence of extensive expertise and skills, dedication to service and client satisfaction, plus also a commitment to professionalism to enable the awards to identify them as examples that can be emulated throughout the continuum of Ugandan health care practice,” Aceng articulated.
Ugandans in different parts of the country are called upon to nominate their best health stakeholders between July 15 and September 15 and according to organizers, this year’s edition will particularly spotlight innovative and creative solutions to problems plus also the solutions that have addressed a problem by introducing a new approach of efficiency in health care.
Other awards include the covid19 responder’s award, community Health worker (VHTs) regional award, Allied health worker of the year, Midwife of the year, Public and Private health facilities of the year, Regional health champion, Faith-based facility of the year, Maternal and Child Health care award and the use of ICT to improve patient care award.
The Director of General Health Services Henry. G Mwebesa said that according to the last review they decided to add more time to public nominations this year to enable nominees from distant districts too and not only in central.
Furthermore, he encouraged the District Health Officers, RDCs, Local council 5 leaders, and Hospital directors to publicize this event as much as possible for the public to get a feel and engage more in this program.
“We want the public, those who receive our services to be the ones to nominate the awardees not health workers to nominate their colleagues” Mwebesa added.
On behalf of the World Health Organization and partners, Dr. Andrew Bakainaga explained the urgency of motivating health workers by awarding them and applauding those taking leadership for the great job done.
“I thank all the partners who have made this a reality, in terms of finances and belief such that our health workers smile” Andrew added.
Amongst the finalists of last year’s Heroes in Health Awards included journalists Henry Muenyi, Zahara Namuli, and Esther Makula in the Health Journalist Award, Kawempe National referral hospital and Soroti regional referral hospital in the Public Health Facility, Uganda Red cross society, and Soroti regional referral hospital in the covid19 responder’s award.
Amongst the sponsors include NMS, NDA, MTN, Uganda Airlines, UCC, JMS MHS, WHO, etc.
