The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Diana Atwine, has officially commissioned 202 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) in Luweero District to strengthen health service delivery at the parish level.
While presiding over the commissioning ceremony, Dr. Atwine commended the CHEWs for their commitment and resilience throughout the six-month training period, which began on January 20th.
“Your patience and dedication to complete this rigorous training is commendable,” she said.
Dr. Atwine emphasised that the CHEW program is being prioritised in districts with poor health service delivery. She expressed concern over Luweero's underperformance despite not being classified as a hard-to-reach area and receiving over Shs. 15 billion in the previous financial year.
“Luweero is not performing as expected. The district has alarming health indicators including a malaria prevalence rate of over 27%, a hospital delivery rate of only 61%, and 39% of births occurring in unknown locations,” Dr. Atwine noted.
She further cited poor immunisation coverage, sanitation, and hygiene practices as major concerns.
She urged the newly deployed CHEWs to closely monitor these worrying statistics and take proactive measures in their communities.
Dr. Atwine also criticised the high rate of absenteeism among health workers, warning that it compromises patient safety and contributes to rising maternal mortality.
Atwine also issued a strong warning against CHEWs overstepping their roles and urged them to work in harmony with Village Health Teams (VHTs), not in conflict, for better community health outcomes.
“Do not turn yourselves into doctors,” Dr. Atwine cautioned. “Stick to your duties and avoid misleading the public. It is dangerous to operate beyond your scope.”
Dr. Innocent Nkonwa, the Luweero District Health Officer, explained that the training involved practical sessions on immunisation, HIV, water and sanitation, with active demonstrations and collaboration between CHEWs, Village Health Teams (VHTs), and other health personnel.
All 202 CHEWs completed the training without any dropouts and were equipped with essential tools, including bicycles, bags,digital tablets and others to support their work in the field.
During the ceremony, the Luweero leaders led by Robert Sekitoleko, MP Bamunanika County appealed to the Ministry of Health to consider upgrading Health Center IIs in underserved sub-counties and town councils such as Kikyusa, Busiika, Ndejje, and Kamira, which lack Health Center IIIs.
The initiative, supported by the World Bank, follows a similar rollout in Nakaseke District and targets a total of 30 districts across the country in its current phase.