The Uganda Muslim Medical Bureau (UMMB) executive secretary Muzamiru Kivumbi led his team for a courtesy visit to the office of the third deputy prime minister of Uganda Rukia Nakadama Isanga .
The UMMB delegation also included Namakula Joweria, the MCHN program Officer, Nansamba Rukia Finance Manager, Matovu Ntumwa who is in charge of resource and Wabusimba Amiri the communication specialist at UMMB.
During the visit on Tuesday, Kivumbi thanked the minister on behalf of the government for the continued support to the muslim private not or profit health facilities through Primary Health Care (PHC) funds and result based financing (RBF).
He informed the minister that his visit was aimed at discussing issues around workable key areas for Muslim health, advocating for more resources for Muslim founded Private not for Profit (PNFPs) health facilities, the upcoming UMMB convention, and engagement with Muslim countries to support health education and mosques projects, ensuring that UMMB is at the center of health government programs.
Kivumbi commended government for continued support through PHC and RBF funds and requested government for flexibility in adding all new PNFP health facilities providing services regardless of their level.
"As I mentioned earlier UMMB is organizing the first ever Annual Health stake stakeholder's convention in December, for this event to be successful, all support in this direction is welcome".
In response, the third deputy Prime Minister congratulated Kivumbi upon his new appointment as the Executive Secretary for UMMB.
"The country is grappling with health constrains that need collaborative efforts to handle, I want to thank the Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje and Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) management for taking this direction of establishing a medical bureau on top of their others organs, government will continue to support you in all you do and I hope with this intervention, the Muslim community will benefit and this should be extended to others religion as health is for all," Nakadama said.
She thanked the medical bureau for breaking the ice and taking time to visit her office for the first time.
"I wish to thank Uganda Muslim Supreme Council for strategically positioning and observing it right to set up the Muslim Medical Bureau to handle health related issues in line with the Qur'anic teachings. I also commend UMMB for the advocacy and technical support towards your health network. On behalf of the government, I commit through my office to deliver what we have discussed in the next cabinet sitting."
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The discussion also rotated around a number of projects including support to the health network and the secretariat, which got the minister's interest and invited the medical bureau for a guided technical tour to some of her facilities in Mayuge district to initiate more successful partnerships.
Uganda Muslim Medical Bureau (UMMB) is a national organization established by UMSC as its medical arm to coordinate activities of Muslim founded private not for profit Health facilities and training institutions in the country.
Currently, UMMB coordinates activities of over 72 members in its network.
Over the past five years, UMMB has maintained its coordination and support to the network using the Uganda Health System Strengthening (UHSS) components.
