Kadaga to advocate for training of neurosurgeons

Credit Parliament of Uganda.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has promised to advocate for training of medical doctors in neurosurgery, saying the available neurosurgeons in Uganda cannot satisfy the demand.

Kadaga blamed government for unfocused planning stating that even government scholarships would have been tailored to such courses.

“I think we are not focusing in our planning; government should have planned for this course,” said Kadaga.

Neurosurgery is the medical specialty dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of persons with among others injury to, or diseases of the brain, spinal cord and spinal column.

Kadaga made these remark while meeting a team of Ugandan lecturers from Washington University in St Louis, USA on Tuesday, 27 February 2018.

Abel Mwebembezi, a Co-Investigator for Washington University said that currently Uganda has only three neurosurgeons, who are all based in Kampala.

He added “so who ever needs neurosurgery services has to travel to Kampala which is expensive.”

Fred Ssewamala who led the Washington University team, said the US government can provide funds for training neurosurgeons through partnerships between Ugandan Universities that train medical doctors and National Institute for Health in USA.

“Makerere University or Mbarara University can partner with the National Institute for Health and apply for funding,” said Ssewamala.

He committed his team to identify agencies that Uganda can partner with to mobilize funds for the said training.

The team also presented recommendations for the Mental Health Bill which they will further present to Parliament’s Committee on Health.