Collaboration Is Key In Improving Capabilities To Detect And Manage Tropical Diseases – Brigadier General Patrick Ocen

The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces Chieftaincy of Medical Services has met with the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Germany known as the Bundeswehr Medical Services where they discussed collaboration in training, research and exchange programs in their respective services. This was during a meeting held today at the Senior Officers Diagnostics Centre, Mbuya.

 

Brigadier General Doctor Patrick Ocen, the Deputy Chief of Medical Services said that this collaboration will improve the capabilities to detect and manage tropical diseases in the respective countries. He said this can be achieved by intensifying cooperation between the two medical services and through sharing ideas and experiences as one entity.

 

Colonel Dr. Thomas Harbaum, the Medical Director and Commandant of Bundeswehr Hospital, Hamburg and leader of the German delegation said the global security situation calls for the coming together of the National Forces beyond Continental borders, especially in the professional fields.

 

The Director of General Military Hospital, Bombo, Colonel Dr Ronald Nangamba made a presentation on the Health Care Interventions and Pertaining Human Resource Challenges in the UPDF with the view of formulating a beneficial partnership of developing necessary human resources for health.

 

On his part, the Incident Commander at the Ministry of Health, Lt Col Dr Henry Kyobe made a presentation on the potential areas of collaboration in Infectious Diseases Research.

 

The visiting delegation in the company of Dr. Manfred Dietrich a founding member of the Joint Clinical Research Centre had an opportunity to visit and had a guided tour at the JCRC facility in Lubowa where they were briefed on the background of the facility and its interventions in clinical research especially in HIV/AIDS and future collaboration with UPDF and Bundeswehr.

 

Relatedly, the delegation had an opportunity for a guided tour of the UPDF National Referral Hospital, Mbuya.

 

Present at the meeting were the Directors and Staff of the Chieftaincy of Medical Services.