The life expectancy of Ugandans is still low despite the tremendous strides achieved in improving the quality of life and medical services available to the population. This is, in part, because of poor awareness of the available interventional information. Thanks to access to technology and support from stakeholders such as the government, Uganda’s medical service offering has greatly improved over the past decade. It is fitting then, that Medxpo Africa Events, is organising the first medical expo for all Ugandans in Kampala. The expo is slated to hold from September 7th to 9th, 2023, at UMA Show Grounds Lugogo.
The event, a first of its kind in Kampala, is aimed at bridging the gap in knowledge and healthcare accessibility existing between healthcare institutions, health workers, and the general public. This will be achieved through the provision of evidence-based, patient-friendly information and access to quality knowledge, healthcare services and products. The event will bring together all categories of healthcare professionals to interface, share knowledge and network with the general public.
At MedXpo Africa, we believe that access to health information is a human right. Provision of accurate and tim health information has been shown to lead to decreased sickness and death. However, only a small percentag Ugandans have access to accurate, relevant, objective, clear, timely, complete, and concise medical informatic
For example; studies indicate that eight in 10 caregivers (parents) do not know the two key symptoms of child pneumonia – the largest cause of death for children under five, four in 10 mothers believe that they should wit fluids if their baby develops diarrhea; about one-half of Ugandan pregnant women do not know that blee an obstetric danger sign.
“This lack of health information translates to lack of disease prevention, delayed access to healthcare, financial exploitation, the perpetuation of medical myths as well as poor medical outcomes including death or lifelong disability,”
According to Laila Noor from MedXpo Africa, more than 50 eminent and diverse healthcare professionals will be present during the expo. “We shall also have over 40 reputable hospitals and healthcare institutions from across the country plus 100 health products and service exhibitors,” she explains.
The three-day event will be structured to provide for; multiple thematic plenary, workshop, training, and private consult sessions involving distinguished medical specialists in over 20 fields, knowledge Cafés with reputable healthcare individuals, hospitals, and other health institutions to create awareness of health conditions, management options available in Uganda and/or abroad, networking breakfasts, a free screening of commor health conditions such as diabetes and their complications, stroke, heart health, eye and ear pathology an hypertension, mental health, nutrition and child and adult development assessments for autism, cerebral pals and other neurodevelopmental conditions, and so much more.
