VANESSA A
The Minister of Health, Jane Ruth Aceng, has urged newly trained Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) to serve communities with dedication and treat people with respect.
Dr. Aceng made the remarks on Thursday during the pass-out ceremony of 210 CHEWs in Rukungiri District after six months of training. She reaffirmed the Ministry of Health’s commitment to strengthening health service delivery at the community level through the Community Health Extension Workers programme, in line with the principles of Primary Health Care.
The minister congratulated the graduates and emphasized that health begins at home. She said CHEWs will play a vital role in bridging the gap between families and health facilities, ensuring that children are immunized at the village level and promoting healthier and more productive communities.
Dr. Aceng also thanked the district leadership and development partners for supporting the programme and providing the necessary resources. She encouraged the CHEWs to remain committed to the responsibility they willingly accepted and to deliver services effectively within their communities.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Diana Atwiine, also congratulated the graduates and appreciated the support of the United States government and other partners who contributed to their training. She further thanked parents for allowing their children to participate in the programme.
Dr. Atwiine urged the CHEWs to return to their communities and focus on providing services at the grassroots level rather than being confined to health facilities. She also called on health workers to remain present at their duty stations and fight absenteeism to improve service delivery. Additionally, she urged district health leaders to strengthen supervision and noted that the government is working to recruit more health workers to address the challenge of understaffing in health facilities.
The District Health Officer for Rukungiri District, Akasiima Mucunguzi, congratulated the CHEWs and said their deployment at the village level will greatly improve access to health services. However, he noted challenges including understaffing and limited public health facilities, and appealed for continued government support.
He encouraged the CHEWs to put into practice the skills they acquired during training and to effectively use the equipment provided to them, such as gumboots and blood pressure measuring devices. He also urged them to act as ambassadors of good health practices by educating communities on sanitation, disease prevention, and healthy living.
Some of the graduates, including Henry Niwamanya and Amutusimire Namara, expressed excitement about completing the training. They thanked the government for entrusting them with the responsibility to serve their communities and pledged to use the knowledge they acquired to promote better health practices.
The graduates also committed to working closely with their communities to improve sanitation and encourage healthier lifestyles, including promoting balanced diets. They further appreciated the government for prioritizing youth employment through the programme, which provides them with an opportunity to serve while earning a livelihood.
