The Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS-Uganda) has unveiled a new five-year strategic plan. The 2021-2025 Strategic Plan builds on successful community-impacting achievements of the previous plan.
The new strategic plan aims to promote equitable access to health services and economic empowerment programs for all the people of Uganda.
According to Hon. Rosette Christine K. Mutambi, the HEPS-Uganda President, from inception, the organization founder members envisioned social development and transformation as one of the pillars that support improvement in the quality of life.
“As we celebrate 20 years, through this Strategic Plan, we have planned to continue our work of health promotion, and strengthen social development work by addressing youth poverty, exclusion, and vulnerability,” she says, adding that “over the next five years, we will provide marketable and employable skills to the youth through non-formal education and skilling and other appropriate strategies of empowerment, collaboration, and advocacy.”
She also explains that the aim is to build a spirit of self-reliance and self-determination amongst youth especially those from vulnerable families and communities that have been excluded from mainstream development programs and advocate for conducive policies and access to programs that address youth unemployment and underemployment.
Dr. Aziz Maija, the HEPS-Uganda Chairman Board of Directors says that over the past five years, HEPS-Uganda has consolidated its position as a leading health advocacy organization in Uganda, particularly in the areas of health policy, access to medicines, and awareness of health rights and health responsibilities.
In this Strategic Plan, HEPS-Uganda has taken a strategic shift to expand its work from Health Promotion that has been the mainstay since its inception in 2000, to include socioeconomic empowerment in response to the country’s current challenges and priorities.
“For the next five years, we shall focus on building a stronger and more sustainable organization; empower the youth of the country to have gainful employment; and continue to advocate for improved access to essential medicines and a stronger health system that can meet new challenges, such as COVID-19, anti-microbial resistance, non-communicable diseases, and disasters,” Dr. Maija adds.
Dr. Denis Kibira, the HEPS-Uganda Executive Director is optimistic that the organization will do more under the new Strategic Plan. “We thank our development partners who supported us over the past five years. We look forward to more partnerships and more impact in different project areas,” he notes.
