Remarks by Ambassador William W. Popp at the Self-care Stakeholder Engagement Meeting and Launch of Self-careUG Application

September 19, 2025, Ministry of Health Uganda

• Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Aceng Ruth
• State Minister of Health, Primary Health Care, Hon. Muhanga Margaret
• State Minister of Health, General Duties, Hon. Bangirana Kawooya Anifa.
• Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Atwine Diana
• Under Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mr. Akiiri Kenneth
• Director General, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olaro Charles
• Representatives from different Government Ministries
• Development Partners and Ministry of Health employees
• All protocol noticed, Ladies and gents

Good morning. It is an honor to affix you all in the launch of the Self-care application. This U.S. has supported working with Uganda on international well being safety and innovation, in addition to help for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Uganda

For many years, the United States authorities has labored with Uganda to assist folks stay more healthy, longer lives. Of the estimated 1.5 million Ugandans residing with HIV, over 1.4 million—about 94%—are receiving life-saving remedy supported by PEPFAR. Our work has additionally seen mother-to-child transmission of HIV drop from 30% 20 years in the past to only 3% as we speak. This means extra infants are born HIV-free.

Despite our achievements, preventing HIV continues to be a problem. This consists of decreasing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths. To guarantee providers successfully attain those that want them most, the U.S. authorities is proud to help Uganda U.S. innovation in constructing a digitally empowered healthcare system. The National Health Data Warehouse, beforehand launched with U.S. help, was a exceptional achievement consistent with that imaginative and prescient. Now, the help for this application is additional serving to enhance well being care supply, enhance public well being illness surveillance, and empower people. Digitalization gives one thing important: autonomy, privateness, and real-time entry to options. These qualities will not be simply conveniences; they’re enablers of more healthy communities each in Uganda and U.S. They equip people with the data to make knowledgeable selections about their well-being, which makeboth our communities stronger and all of us safer from illness.

At the request of the Ministry of Health and in step with the digitization agenda, the U.S. authorities supported the integration of a number of health-related digital platforms right into a National Self-care Mobile Application. The result’s what we’re celebrating as we speak: the Self-care application, a software that locations well being instantly in the palms of the folks. Through U.S. CDC technical experience and implementing accomplice Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation-Uganda, we helped:

• Develop the Self-care application;
• Enhance the server capability to help totally different digital platforms;
• Restructure and improve the Ministry of Health Call Center; and
• Build Ministry of Health capability to successfully handle digital platforms.

The Self-care application launched as we speak marks a step ahead for Uganda and international well being safety. As folks use this application to hunt screening, testing, and preventive care, a more healthy, extra resilient society is fostered. Also, by addressing well being challenges early and decreasing illness burden, improvements like this save lives, strengthen economies, and defend the well-being of populations—in United States, Uganda, and the world.

The United States is proud to have labored with the Ugandan Ministry of Health serving to to carry this mission to fruition. Together, we’re demonstrating how American innovation, mixed with robust Ugandan collaboration, can form a more healthy and extra hopeful future for all! Thank you.