Press briefing at the Ugandan Medical Association, Kampala on 26th September 2003

By the President of the World Medical Association, Dr James Appleyard

"It is a great honor , as President of the World Medical Association to meet with Dr Margaret Mungherra, the President of the Ugandan Medical Association and her leading colleagues in the U.M.A.

The World Medical Association strives to be a force for good.

With the help of our 80 national medical associations including the Ugandan Medical Association, we strive to improve the standards of medicine and medical care worldwide.

As a pediatrician, my main theme for the year is child health. The greatest investment a country can make is in the health of its children. The greatest burden of life threatening disease falls on children particularly the poor who can least afford to bare it. There is overwhelming evidence to show that the cycle of poverty will be broken by improved health care. That is why I welcome the Ugandan Governments initiative on Measles. Measles is a killer. We can prevent children from dying by immunization.

Uganda has made great strides over the last 10 years. Since 1990, according to UNICEF, the number of children dying under the age of five has fallen. An additional 50,000 children are surviving each year than would have survived 10 years ago. These children are so important for the future of the country.

Much remains to be done.

The Measles Immunization Campaign is a major blessing for children. Each of us in our local communities needs to reach out neighbor to neighbor, child to child to ensure that all children are protected from measles. Measles immunization is safe. It is very effective. Children with poor nutrition are particularly vulnerable to measles. All children deserve to be protected in Uganda as in all parts of the world.

One of the terrible burdens that all too many children are being forced to bear is physical and sexual abuse. The abuse of children has devastating consequences for their future, it is the major cost of anger and violence in society. Giving children love and respect for their Rights as individuals stops this cycle of abuse.

Abuse of adults, by denying people their basic human rights has similar long lasting destructive effects. That is why the WMA has teamed up with the IRCT and other partners to support those who work with people who have suffered violence and psychosocial trauma. Not only does HIV/AIDS thrive in the path of armed conflict but the continuing effects of severe emotional and physical trauma destroys the ability of the local communities to achieve economic recovery by rebuilding dignity and self confidence, infrastructures and new roads, though very important by themselves cannot fulfill economic and social recovery.

The Ugandan Government has ratified the UN Convention against torture.

The Commission of the European Union has given us practical funds to help apply the Istanbul Protocol, which provides guidelines for the investigation and documentation of torture. It provides the basis for the training of health and legal professionals from the government, NGO's and specialists working together to acquire specific knowledge and skills so that both the legal and medical procedures can be conducted fairly and effectively.

You will have seen pictures of the horrendous accident that happened when a coach collided with a UN truck carrying World Food Programme supplies to the Congo. Reports said that at least 30 passengers were rushed to Kabale Hospital, in the Kigezi region. Medical Students from the Kigezi International School of Medicine based at the hospital have given me, as Dean of Clinical Studies, a first hand account of the disaster. I will be traveling down to Kabale tomorrow to hear- their story in more detail.

What is immediately apparent from these reports is that Dr Sam Tumwesigiris (the medical superintendent) team of medical and nursing staff responded magnificently. Already severely stretched for staff and resources, his staff ran that extra mile.

The tireless work of Dr Jackie Mabejeno and her team were an inspiration to our medical students. In turn the students worked all hours in these extreme circumstances to help with the crisis. Based at Kabale , the Kigezi International School of Medicine's students come from all areas of the world. They experience medicine in the UK, US and elsewhere. But it is in Uganda at Kabale that they have their most influential and practical training under the experienced wing of the Ugandan faculty. Disasters such as the Coach Crash bring out the qualities of the profession that have sustained us over the centuries. We all must been grateful for the dedication of doctors and their teams under such challenging and difficult circumstances."