Village Health Teams (VHTs) in Wakiso District have been called upon to fully dedicate themselves to their roles as frontline health workers, with officials noting that communities heavily rely on them for early detection of disease outbreaks.
This appeal was made by Dr. Allan Muruta, the Commissioner Integrated Epidemiology Survillenance & Public Health Emergencies, at the Ministry of Health, while officiating at the Lanch of the E- Learning Module for Community based Surveillance and training of VHTs drawn from various parts of Wakiso District at the district headquarters.
Dr. Muruta emphasised that Village Health Teams (VHTs) are crucial in stopping dangerous diseases before they spread widely.
“We do not want severe diseases like COVID-19 to catch us unaware again. Preparedness begins at the village level, and that’s why VHTs are very important,” he said.
He added that equipping VHTs with smartphones will help the Ministry of Health closely monitor health developments across villages.
“These tools will enable you to send timely information from your communities so we can respond quickly,” Dr. Muruta said.
The training is part of a national strategy to strengthen surveillance of epidemics and pandemics, given that many outbreaks begin in communities before reaching health facilities.
Dr. Atim Danistan commended the VHTs for their consistent efforts in handling common illnesses at village level.
“You have always managed community cases well. This proves that you can also play a strong role in combating serious disease outbreaks,” he noted.
VHTs who attended the training welcomed the initiative, saying it will improve their efficiency, especially with the help of digital tools.
“These smartphones will help us report health issues faster and work better,” one participant said.
Despite being volunteers, the VHTs expressed pride in serving their communities. “Our calling is to help the people we serve. When they are healthy, we are also happy,” they said.
The Ministry hopes the initiative will strengthen early detection and response to health threats across all parts of Uganda