The Managing Director Airtel Uganda, Mr. Manoj Murali met with the UNFPA country representative Dr. Mary Otieno, and her team, to explore areas of partnership with the UN Population Agency.
The UNFPA team was led by the country representative, Dr. Mary Otieno.
manoj explained Airtel Uganda’s Transforming Lives initiatives in various intervention areas such as digital and financial inclusion, as part of Airtel’s commitment to improving the quality of the population.
Airtel Uganda is partnering with Unicef Uganda in a 5-year partnership to scale up digital learning in Uganda to transform the learning outcomes of Uganda’s young learners, especially in rural areas. Additionally, Airtel Uganda is providing internet to 14 public libraries across the country to support ICT training for out-of-school youths.
On health financing for a better population, Airtel Introduced the Airtel Hospital Sente. This is a medical insurance product that, in partnership with Prudential, has extended medical cover to a growing number of Ugandans for as low as 1000 UGX.
He further explained that Airtel has partnered with banks to mobilize customers to save money in their wallets. The fixed deposits earn competitive interest. These financial products are strengthening the country’s journey on the financial and digital transition.
Our flagship partnership with Buganda is pivotal in extending resources to the fight against the sickle cell, fistula and now HIV AIDS. The annual Kabaka birthday run is the largest in Africa that mobilizes the public to improve awareness about public health challenges and foster behavioral change.
Mr. manoj further explained that Airtel’s distribution infrastructure which includes over 90 large format service centres, 3000 small format stores, and over 250,000 agents has created economic opportunity for many, majority of whom are women.
Dr. Mary Otieno thanked Airtel Uganda for the investments being made to increase access to digital and financial services and improve the quality of the population in Uganda. She clarified that UNFPA’s mandate is to strengthen reproductive health systems with a singular objective of ensuring that every pregnancy is wanted and planned, and ending preventable maternal deaths.
The UN agency achieves this by facilitating policy dialogue and advocacy, reproductive service delivery, knowledge management and partnerships.
She further explained that UNFPA Uganda works with innovators for solutions and developments for the improvement of the quality of the population. Drug-Dash, for example, is a solution supported by UNFPA, that facilitates real-time stock monitoring and distribution of contraceptives and other consumables in the East, north, and West Nile districts. It has greatly improved the delivery of reproductive health services.
She reiterated UNFPA’s support to the government and partners in providing technical and other support for the census, vital registrations, maternal health, and innovations to improve the delivery of reproductive health. She invited Airtel Uganda to a partnership that shall strengthen the delivery of these transformative agendas across the country.
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