VP ALUPO DELIVERED THE AMBULANCE TO ASSIST IN EMERGENCY CASES
On the occasion of celebrating the belated International Women’s Day, President Museveni has donated a brand new ambulance to Amuria Hospital in Amuria district.
The ambulance was handed over to the district officials by Vice President Maj. Jessica Alupo who presided over the celebrations.
Basing her speech on this year’s Theme “Equality and Empowerment”, the vice president called on all stakeholders to make the environment secure for women to enable them showcase their potential in fields they choose to pursue.
“Women can excel and are (indeed) excelling in every professional field but they only need equal treatment and freedom from all forms of abuses against them. Often times, women are held back from coming forward to perform certain tasks because of fear of the wrongs committed against them. It even becomes worse when it comes to young girls. Parents are forced to prevent them from going outside for fear of being harassed by wrong doers” the Vice President noted.
H.E Alupo said that it was incumbent upon all leaders to make the world safe for both gender so that women can also be able to prove their capability.
Alupo said that harassment of women has been reported in almost all professional fields including in health facilities which she said scares away some women from pursuing such professional competences and also getting services.
“Even some mothers complain of harassment when they visit those health facilities. This is something we need to rid the society of to make health centers safe and helpful especially to our expectant mothers and children. This is the only way we shall reduce on maternal and infant mortality. Everyone must feel secure when he or she visits health centers” she cautioned.
Alupo noted that the idea of women empowerment will only be applicable and successful in such a situation when women will have equal rights as men in their real life instead of having them only in books.
She said women empowerment should be the focus by all governments as this will not only reduce on gender inequality but also improve on critical human resource needed for innovation and related work.
She said many sectors still need professional human resource but such demands can not be met if women are segregated or mistreated.
The VP however, noted that government under President Museveni has done a tremendous job in uplifting the status of women in this country through deliberate policies in the education, health, finance and other sectors.
She cited the Student Higher Education financing scheme that gives extra focus on the Girl child to pursue university education, the Presidential initiative on Skilling the Girl child, the Uganda Women Economic Empowerment Fund, Emyooga program and currently the Parish Development Model program.
“The PDM for example, is for both women and men. It doesn’t segregate. All you need to do is to fulfill the requirements and access those funds. They are near you at parish level. Let us all embrace the PDM and other programs beneficial to our needs. We should all strive to create wealth for ourselves” she advised.
Alupo reminded all parents to take their children to school regardless of whether they are girls or boys, saying government’s policy on education favors both sides of gender. She asked local authorities to reprimand parents who keep their girl children at home during school days, noting that some parents still mind about cultural practices that force girls into marriage the moment they begin their menstrual cycle.
“This is wrong and must be dealt with. We need to hold barazas to sensitize our parents on the rights of children especially the girl child. They must also be sensitized on the vitality of educating the girl child. I want to challenge each one of us here to take this as a personal responsibility to ensure that girls in our community stay in school the way we do to the boys” the Vice President urged.
Alupo urged the district officials to ensure that they use the ambulance well so that it serves the purpose for which it has been donated. She said many mothers need quick referrals to health facilities at the time of delivery and therefore, the ambulance must help such mothers to save their lives and the young ones in addition to assisting in other emergency cases.
The function was also attended by state minister for Teso affairs Dr. Ongalo Obote, Amuria district woman MP Susan Amero among other officials.
