Health Department

Mr. SEITH ABAHO

DHC-NAD

This department was started in 2008 under the supervision of Rev. Can. David Muramuzi as the Diocesan Health Coordinator, who was succeeded by Mr. Mugyenzi Justus and thereafter Mr. Abaho Seith up to date.

It is one of the five departments of the Diocese which is entirely and fully involved in:

Securing affordable, quality, and easily accessible health services for our Christians.
Monitoring and supervision of health-related programs and church-founded health centres.
Carrying out health sensitization messages in the Diocese and beyond.
Establishment of health facilities in the Diocese.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S REPORT

The Mission Statement

The mission of the Protestant Health Services in North Ankole Diocese is derived from the mission of the Church, which has the mandate, based on the imitation of Christ and His deeds, “to promote life to the full and to heal.”

These services are committed to a holistic approach in healing by treating and preventing diseases with a preferential option for the less privileged.

Policy Goal

North Ankole Diocese fully adopts the UPMB policy. This aims at improved functioning of the Protestant health services through the following:

Coordination of health services.
Consolidation of services so that existing health units deliver the minimum health care package effectively.
Ensuring professionalism, quality care, and training at the health units.
Equity and sustainability of church-founded health units.
Integration and cooperation at the diocesan level, especially with government health institutions.

Structure of the Department

The department is comprised of the following structure:

The Diocesan Board of Health
The Diocesan Health Committee
The Archdeaconry Health Committees
The Parish Health Committees
The Diocesan Health Coordinator
Health Unit Management Committees
Health Unit Medical Staff

Achievements and Ongoing Activities

The ongoing building of a state-of-the-art Diocesan Mission Hospital.
Establishment of Archdeaconry-based health facilities such as Kazo Mission, Rwemikoma Revival Mission, Magondo Mission, St. Peter’s Naama Mission, and Rwenshande Mission.
Health education talks throughout the Diocese covering:
1. Prevention of contagious diseases
2. Community hygiene and sanitation
3. Early childhood marriages and associated problems
4. Poverty eradication
5. Continuous medical checkups for hypertension, diabetes, cancers, hepatitis, etc.
6. Early treatment seeking in case of illness
HIV/AIDS sensitization programs on prevention strategies.
Collaboration with Government of Uganda in malaria elimination campaigns through distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
Enrollment of Community Health Insurance in schools and community groups.
Weekly health messages shared through parish priests.
27th May selected as the annual Diocesan Health Day.
Partnership with Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau and Joint Medical Center.

Challenges

Increasing prevalence of HIV new infections (rate stands at 7.1%).
Poor or limited sources of financing.
Crisis of clean water in the Diocese.
Poor or lack of transport means for the health office.
Limited health knowledge among Christians.
Wide use of natural herbs by some community members.
Lack of enough safe and clean water.
Food insecurity and famine in the Diocese.
Low income levels exposing many Christians to poverty-related problems.
Early marriages in some communities.

Way Forward

Stick to our mission (Matthew 28:19) to promote performance and uplift Jesus Christ.
Strengthen strategic planning in all facilities.
Promote HIV sensitization campaigns and proposal writing.
Close human resource gaps in numbers and quality.
Continue rolling out community health insurance.
Promote natural family planning alongside modern methods.
Support all health facilities in medicines management.
Ensure 100% reporting rates by all health facilities.
Upgrade HCII facilities to Health Center IIIs.
Improve functionality of HUMCs.
Improve staff retention.
Improve quality of services in health units.
Ensure staff contracts and tax compliance.
Conduct HUMC trainings at archdeaconry level.
Participate in policy and strategic plan development.
Emphasize infrastructure development plans.
Conduct quarterly supervision of LLHUs.
Support annual client satisfaction surveys.
Provide onsite support for record keeping.
Maintain email linkage.