Summary
The Government of Korea through the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) and Ministry of Health have launched a 5-year Community Health Workers (CHW) Project in the Central Region of Uganda; handing over 3 pick-up double cabin trucks, 30 motorbikes, 200 bicycles,484 VHT Kits and IT Equipment in Masaka district, Masaka city and Bukomansimbi district.
By 2025, the project will have fully equipped over 1,068 VHTs with working tools, knowledge and skills to motivate and capacitate performance of duty.
Since 2017, the Government of Korea through the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) has partnered with Ministry of Health in an effort to address health system strengthening gaps identified by the Republic of Uganda in the areas of; Emergency Medical Services (EMS), COVID-19 Response, Community Health, TB and Cancer Detection and Management; as well as Capacity Building of Health Workers.
Although Uganda’s health indicators have improved over time, there is still a significant disparity when the national and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets are compared with other parts of the world. In order to achieve the SDGs and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) targets while utilizing the existing resources, KOFIH believes that empowerment of communities to improve their own health status is essential.
Thus, the crucial role of the community health worker cadre in contributing towards achieving UHC without leaving anyone behind cannot be disputed.
A case in point is during the very challenging times of COVID-19, when the Uganda health system was stretched to its limits, and essential health services disrupted, the Village Health Teams (VHTs) scored highly as they worked hard to ensure continuity of care at grassroots level.
The Government of Korea through KOFIH is therefore delighted through partnership with Ministry of Health; to commit budget support of USD 3,300,000 towards implementing the “Capacity Building for Community Health Workers (CHW) Project in Central Region of Uganda, since 2022”.
As part of the Republic of Korea’s commitment towards strengthening the community health system in Uganda, on Tuesday 14th March, 2023, at Masaka District Local Government Headquarters, the Director General of KOFIH Dr. Bok Hyun NAM from Korea; joined the top leadership of the Ministry of Health, Partners and Stakeholders to officially launch the Community Health Workers Project in Uganda.
During the launch, 3 pick-up double cabin trucks, 30 motorbikes, 200 bicycles,484 VHT Kits and IT Equipment (including medical and non-medical supplies) have been handed over to VHTs and their leaders, in Masaka district, Masaka city and Bukomansimbi district; as the first disbursement of work tools to the project sites.
By the end of the first phase of the intervention in 2025, the project will have fully equipped over 1,068 VHTs with working tools, knowledge and skills to motivate and capacitate performance of duty.
The CHW Project aims to scale demand and uptake of VHT services in the targeted communities; with a major focus on promoting primary healthcare, and better health management practices, while giving beneficiaries at grassroots level a better experience in the uptake of VHT services.
While giving her remarks at the launch ceremony, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health, Dr. Diana Atwine commended; the Government of Korea, KOFIH, the District Leadership of Masaka, Bukomansimbi and Masaka City, Village Health Teams (VHTs) and the local communities in the project sites, for their tremendous collective efforts and support to ensure the successful implementation of the CHW Project activities.
Dr. Diana Atwine specifically pointed out the huge role VHTs have to play to achieve improved health and well-being of the people in their communities and continued to recognize KOFIH for providing necessary equipment including medical and non-medical and financial facilitation to enable VHTs to smoothly perform their duties. Dr. Diana pledged to render all the necessary support at the National Level to enable the successful implementation of the CHW Project.
The Director General of KOFIH Dr. Bok Hyun NAM reaffirmed the Republic of Korea’s commitment to supporting Ministry of Health, of the Republic of Uganda in health systems strengthening through KOFIH.
