Dr. Sabrina Kitaka

On November 2nd 2009 health care providers, students and parents took to the streets and airwaves of Kampala to urge policymakers to prioritize pneumonia in the country’s health budget. Dr. Sabrina Bakeera-Kitaka sums up the response to World Pneumonia Day in three words. “It was overwhelming,” she says. Everyone was talking about pneumonia, and I’m not joking.”

Getting Started

This groundswell of support for prevention and treatment of pneumonia was organized by a small team from the Ugandan Paediatric Association directed by Dr. Kitaka. After receiving advocacy training and a small grant from the International Vaccine Access Center, she focused on reaching the Ugandan Parliament. In particular, she wanted the government to make pneumonia a priority, to ensure a reliable supply of antibiotics in all health facilities, and to prioritize the introduction of the pneumococcal vaccine into the national immunization schedule.

Reaching Out to Partners

First, she wrote a letter to key partners, including health care providers, pharmaceutical companies and parliamentarians, asking them to join her on World Pneumonia Day in a march to the Parliament. Then, she reached out to the media, contacting the managing directors of newspapers, TV stations, and radio channels. Some outlets requested payment for coverage, “but we were also able to take advantage of our noble cause and receive donations [of air time],” she says.

The Results

On the day of the march, hundreds of medical students, parents, and health care providers showed up. Wearing “Know Pneumonia, No Pneumonia” T-shirts and accompanied by a children’s band and police escort, they marched their way through the streets of Kampala. When they arrived at the capitol, they delivered a petition with hundreds of signatures to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament. To raise awareness even further, Dr. Kitaka and her colleagues appeared on radio and TV programs later in the day to educate the public.

While more needs to be done, Dr. Kitaka is already seeing the impact of her team’s efforts. “It’s had a ripple effect.” Mothers now know that oxygen tubes aren’t a death sentence, and medical students and residents are more interested in conducting pneumonia research. The UPA is using this momentum to encourage the Ministry of Health and the Ugandan EPI to secure pneumococcal vaccine from GAVI. “It’s time consuming, but we’re having an impact,” she says.

Words of Advice

According to Dr. Kitaka, the success of the Ugandan World Pneumonia Day events boils down to dedication. “You need a winning team that believes in what you do and will work even without pay,” she says. Empower your team with information, she suggests, so that everyone — from physicians to administrative staff — can become pneumonia champions.

Developing partnerships is also critical. “Have a list of key partners and a clear plan,” she advises. “Our partners were enthusiastic from the start because we had a clear, simple message.”

When interacting with the press, Dr. Kitaka suggests advocates use clear, simple messages, “but also have background knowledge.” “Be confident,” she says, “that’s all you need to know.”

Looking Forward

As for World Pneumonia Day 2010, Dr. Kitaka and her team already have several projects underway. They are working around the clock to ensure the new pneumococcal vaccines are included in the next version of the Ugandan immunization cards. Several scientific addresses are planned, and Dr. Kitaka is also hoping to engage the media. “Hopefully, we shall be able to send out 500 balloons with the words, “WE CAN CHANGE THIS. PNEUMONIA KILLS!” and other slogans,” she adds.