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[PRESS RELEASE] GAHP and NEMA Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Address Pollution in Uganda

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Kampala, Uganda — The Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) of Uganda on 10th October, 2025 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at NEMA House, Kampala, marking a significant step in Uganda’s efforts to address pollution and its impact on public health.

The MoU establishes a framework for close collaboration between GAHP and NEMA to strengthen Uganda’s national response to pollution. This agreement will guide the development of Uganda’s Health and Pollution Action Plan (HPAP), a tool designed to partner with governments to prioritise pollution challenges, identify solutions, and mobilize resources for sustainable action.

From left to right: Maria Paola Lia, GAHP Executive Director, Dr. Barirega Akankwasah, NEMA Executive Director. Photo by GAHP, 2025.
From left to right: Maria Paola Lia, GAHP Executive Director, Dr. Barirega Akankwasah, NEMA Executive Director. Photo by GAHP, 2025.

Representatives from GAHP and NEMA emphasized that this partnership will foster evidence-based planning, inter-sectoral cooperation, and inclusive engagement with communities and stakeholders.

Representatives from GAHP and NEMA at the MOU Signing Ceremony in Kampala, 10th October. Photo by GAHP, 2025.
Representatives from GAHP and NEMA at the MOU Signing Ceremony in Kampala, 10th October. Photo by GAHP, 2025.

"This MoU reflects our shared commitment to tackling the critical link between pollution and public health in Uganda," said Maria Paola Lia, Executive Director of GAHP. "Through our partnership with NEMA and other national stakeholders, we aim to support efforts to elevate pollution as a key public health and development priority."

“This MoU between GAHP and NEMA is more than a partnership; it is a commitment to develop tangible solutions to directly address pollution’s devastating health and environmental impacts in Uganda, taking crucial steps towards our global battle against pollution,” Hassanatou Anna Samake, GAHP Programme Manager.

“The world has been overly focused on the symptoms rather than addressing the underlying problems. Until we tackle the root causes of the global environmental crisis, we will continue to deal only with the symptoms. By addressing pollution, we are in fact addressing environmental degradation in all its forms.” Dr. Barirega Akankwasah - Executive Director, NEMA.

  • For EPP-UG Inquiries: Hassanatou Samake | Programme Manager |hassanatou@gahp.net 

  • For Media Inquiries: Tran Dinh Truong Thinh | GAHP Communication Manager | kevin@gahp.net