By Wakibi Iddi
Dr. John Baptist Waniaye Nambohe (Left), the Commissioner for Emergency Medical Services at the Ministry of Health.
The Ministry of Health has urged Ugandans to acquire basic emergency response skills, saying informed members of the public can make a critical difference in the moments before professional medical help arrives.
The call was made by the Commissioner for Emergency Medical Services at the Ministry of Health, Dr. John Baptist Waniaye Nambohe, while flagging off a community emergency medical awareness campaign organised by Jefrat Health Hub Ltd in partnership with emergency response stakeholders.
The campaign seeks to equip communities with basic knowledge on how to respond appropriately to emergencies such as road crashes, fires and other incidents requiring immediate intervention.
Nambohe said members of the public should understand what to do when emergencies occur instead of remaining helpless while waiting for professional responders.
“Communities need to be equipped with basic emergency response skills so that they can take the right action before professional medical help arrives,” Nambohe said.
He urged the organisers to prioritise safety and discipline as the campaign expands, while calling for wider dissemination of ambulance contact numbers and increased public awareness about available emergency medical services.
Nambohe also suggested the possibility of establishing a National EMS Hour, which would provide a dedicated platform for educating the public about emergency medical services and appropriate responses to emergencies.
He encouraged Jefrat Health Hub and its partners to take the campaign to more parts of the country so that emergency response knowledge is not limited to communities already reached.
“We need to take this initiative to different parts of the country so that more Ugandans can benefit from emergency medical response knowledge and skills,” he said.
Jeremiah Kirungi, Chief Executive Officer of Jefrat Health Hub Ltd, said the campaign is intended to help communities understand both emergency prevention and appropriate first response.
He said the initiative is particularly important in busy environments such as markets and other public spaces where accidents and medical emergencies can occur unexpectedly.
“We are taking this initiative to different parts of the country because we want communities to understand how they can prevent emergencies and how they can respond quickly when someone is in danger,” Kirungi said.
Kirungi said the campaign was partly inspired by emergencies affecting communities across the country, including incidents involving schoolchildren.
He also acknowledged organisations supporting the initiative, including the Uganda Red Cross Society, for their contribution to community sensitisation and emergency preparedness.
“We appreciate all the organisations that have partnered with us, especially the Red Cross and others, for helping us reach communities and teach people how to prevent accidents and respond effectively when emergencies occur,” he said.
The campaign is being rolled out in markets, public spaces and other high-traffic areas in different parts of the country.
The organisers say the initiative is focused on strengthening community preparedness during the crucial period between the occurrence of an emergency and the arrival of professional emergency medical services.
For Uganda to build a stronger emergency response system, the campaign emphasises that preparedness must extend beyond hospitals and ambulances. Communities themselves need the knowledge and confidence to take appropriate action when every second matters.