He urged the CHEWs to identify communities facing particular disease burdens and tailor their health education campaigns to address the specific needs of those areas.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has warned 155 newly trained Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) in Mitooma District against treating patients or setting up informal clinics, urging them to focus on health education, disease prevention and linking communities to health facilities.
Tayebwa said the workers should serve as the government’s eyes and ears within communities by identifying health risks, educating households and referring people to appropriate health facilities.
“You’re not a doctor; don’t start acting like doctors, don’t set up clinics. Don’t attempt to treat anyone. That is not your job,” Tayebwa said.
He was speaking on Monday during the passing-out ceremony for the CHEWs at Mitooma District headquarters, where he joined Ministry of Health officials and district leaders to mark the completion of their training.
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The workers are expected to take health promotion closer to households, particularly in communities where residents face challenges accessing health facilities.
Their responsibilities include community sensitisation, disease surveillance, promoting immunisation and antenatal care, identifying health risks and referring patients for professional treatment.
Tayebwa said Mitooma’s geographical setting and disease burden make community sensitisation particularly important. The district has communities bordering forests and a national park, while malaria remains a significant health concern.
He urged the CHEWs to identify communities facing particular disease burdens and tailor their health education campaigns to address the specific needs of those areas.
The Deputy Speaker also asked local leaders to give the workers an opportunity to speak at community gatherings, including burial ceremonies, so they can use such platforms to sensitise residents about health instead of allowing them to be dominated by politicians.
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He further urged the CHEWs to educate communities about lifestyle-related diseases, including the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption, and encourage women to attend routine antenatal care.
Tayebwa also cautioned the workers to protect bicycles and other equipment provided by the government, saying the items were intended to facilitate their work and should not be treated as personal property.
“Guard the properties that you have been given; they are not gifts. They are work equipment. For you women, if your husband confiscates the bicycle, report immediately,” he said.
Focus on prevention
Director General of Health Services Dr Charles Olaro said the deployment of CHEWs is part of the Ministry of Health’s broader effort to shift Uganda’s health system towards prevention rather than waiting for people to fall sick before seeking treatment.
Olaro said a large proportion of Uganda’s disease burden could be prevented through better health information, healthier lifestyles and early action at community level.
He said the success of the programme should be measured by the health problems prevented in communities rather than the number of patients referred to health facilities.
Olaro said the workers would play an important role in promoting immunisation, antenatal care, family planning, sanitation and prevention of non-communicable diseases.
Mitooma District Acting District Health Officer Julius Taremwa said the new workers would help bridge a longstanding gap between households and health facilities.
Although the district recently recruited 101 health workers, including a surgeon, gynaecologist and medical officers, Taremwa said overall staffing remains at about 22%.
He added that some communities still face gaps in access to health facilities, while Mitooma General Hospital is undergoing further development.
“We still have communities that are not being reached. For example, Katenga Sub-county as a whole has no health facility, and Kiyanga Sub-county also faces gaps in access to health services,” Taremwa said.