By Wafula Malik
Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah today Tuesday visited NMS headquarters in Entebbe where he welcomed the entity’s readiness to get involved into efforts to reverse the mayhem being caused by the nodding disease syndrome in Acholi-land. Oulanyah, who had visited to acquaint himself about the operations of NMS, was glad to learn from GM Moses Kamabare that NMS has finalized plans to compliment efforts to roll back the syndrome as part of its broader CSR initiatives. His Omollo County falls under Acholi-land thousands of whose children have had their would-be formative years ruined because of the hopelessness the nodding syndrome has occasioned onto them for years.
Away from the nodding syndrome comments, Oulanyah also praised the new capabilities that NMS has brought to Uganda’s medical environment and made reference to the excellent role NMS has played to better the lives of Ugandans. He reaffirmed government’s commitment to keep supporting NMS activities, innovations and operational efficiency. “National Medical Stores and its management is a story of hope for Uganda. In this country Goliath is winning all the time. So when David wins we must celebrate. And this is a case of David winning,” he said in reference to the progress being made by NMS in execution of its mandate which basically is procurement, storage & distribution of essential medicines and medical supplies to all public health facilities in the country. Over the years, the NMS mandate has expanded to serve 100% of government health facilities including the police, army, prisons and vaccine handling. It’s also understandable why it matters for NMS to ensure its processes are adequately understood by authority people like Deputy Speaker because the entity regularly reports to the parliament which appropriates money for them.
