About Us - Background & Mandate

HEPS-Uganda

HEPS-Uganda is an acronym for Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development. It is a health rights organisation that advocates for increased access to affordable essential medicines for the poor and vulnerable people in Uganda.

Mandate and Values
Vision
“A just and fair society in which all Ugandans – irrespective of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, physical well-being or socio-economic status – exercise their health rights and health responsibilities.”
Mission

“To work towards increased access to affordable, quality essential medicines by all Ugandans, especially the poor and vulnerable in rural and urban areas.”
Overall Goal
The overall objective of HEPS-Uganda’s programmes and activities for the period of the Strategic Plan 2005-10 is “To work towards increased access to affordable, quality essential medicines, especially for the poor and vulnerable in rural and urban areas of Uganda”.

Our Values
    Equality      
    Integrity      
    Respect      
    Responsibility   
    Fairness   
    Justice    

Our  Beliefs
    Respect of life and human dignity
    Access to health is a human right and should be accessible for all people
    Health care is not only a responsibility of the government; every person has a responsibility for his/her own health

HEPS-Uganda Principles
    Use of dialogue instead of conflict
    Honesty
    Transparency
    Accountability
    Non-profit making
    Adherence to mission
    Neutrality
    Non-discriminating

Strategic Objectives

    Educate and empower health consumers especially the poor and vulnerable, by dissemination of information on health rights and responsibilities including rational use of medicine.
    Provide an unbiased channel to allow consumers voice their health complaints on access to health care services, receive professional support in their efforts to get redress and create a feed back mechanism to government and health care providers.
    Build a strong health promotion of health advocates who constantly watch, participate and influence policies that safe guard public health interests in order to ensure that quality health care is available, accessible and affordable for all.
    Advocate for consumer friendly health care laws and policies.
    Document and disseminate information on health care rights issues in the country.

Strategic programmes
1.    Community Outreach Programme
The Community Outreach Programme empowers health consumers, especially the poor and vulnerable, with the information they need to demand for their health rights and exercise their health responsibilities. This is done through training communities, health workers and community-based organisations (CBOs) in health rights advocacy.
2.    Health Policy Advocacy Programme
The Health Policy Advocacy Programme advocates for consumer-friendly health laws and policies at district, national and international levels. HEPS-Uganda undertakes advocacy through policy research and analysis; monitoring the implementation of health laws and policies; petitions and lobbying; and training and sensitising stakeholders.
3.    Health Complaints and Counselling Desk
The Health Complaints and Counselling (C&C) Desk is an independent mechanism to address violations of health rights of health consumers. The programme is implemented through installation and use of suggestion boxes at participating health units, documentation of health complaints, counselling services, constructive dialogue and mediation between the aggrieved consumers and the accused health facility, and information sharing with stakeholders.

4.    Organisational Development
The Organisational Development Programme aims to build and enhance effective, efficient and professional HEPS-Uganda, with the capacity to undertake its mandate and achieve its overall goal. The programme aims to:
•    Strengthen management and internal policies, coordination and supervision
•    Improve human resources of HEPS-Uganda (staff, volunteers and Board capacity)
•    Membership recruitment and involvement
•    Build and maintain a well equipped resource centre and IT platform
•    Build and strengthen HEPS-Uganda’s capacity to raise funds in a sustainable way

Core Activities

Below are the activities of the Coalition to ensure equity in access to healthcare and also ensure that justice is accorded to healthcare consumers.

    Net working and collaborations locally, nationally and internationally.
    Information, education and communication in order to empower consumers and to enhance their relationship with the health care providers.
    Lobbying and advocacy in order to influence health related policies, laws, regulations, and international treaties and have representation at all levels of decision making in health care.
    Counselling and advisory services to people with health care related complaints in order to alleviate fear, restore confidence and offer hope.
    Offer assistance, representation and referral services to health consumers with genuine complaints.
    Provide a channel for health consumers to voice questions and complaints and receive redress.

Coverage

HEPS-Uganda is a Ugandan national NGO, with 10 focal districts, including Kampala, Mbarara, Pallisa, Budaka, Arua, Masindi, Lira, Ntungamo, Kamwenge and Kiboga.

Membership

HEPS-Uganda is a membership organisation, consisting of about 250 individual and institutional members. Membership is open and therefore the coalition is calling upon interested people/ organisations both nationally and internationally to join.