Government Moves To Combat COVID-19 Spread With New Approach

Ugandan government has launched the National Community Engagement Strategy for COVID-19 response to curtail the spread of the pandemic among communities.

Uganda is currently experiencing phase four of COVID-19 outbreak with widespread community transmission in virtually all the districts in the country.

In response to this, government directed that the Community Engagement Strategy (CES) Sub Committee be established which has been merged with the Community Health Committee to form the National Community Engagement Strategy.

While launching this strategy at a function organised by Uganda Red Cross Society and held at hotel Africana in Kampala today, Prime minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda said the approach will ensure that all people in Uganda are aware, empowered and are participating actively in the prevention and control of COVID-19 as both a duty and a right using the existing structures, systems and resources.

“We shall be handing over the responsibility to control COVID-19 to individual Ugandans, households and communities.” The premier said adding that all stakeholders should ensure that this strategy which has worked in managing and handling other diseases like Ebola and HIV is effectively implemented.

The strategy will be implemented by different government ministries including Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Defense as well as non-government agencies. Civil Society Organizations have also been brought on board through the Uganda Red Cross Society and the African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST)

Prof. Francis Omaswa the chairperson of the CES subcommittee said under this strategy, every village will be required to establish a village COVID-19 task force which will provide community based surveillance and case detection including deaths, Community case management including self-isolation, community based drug distribution and referrals as appropriate, community contact tracing and reporting among other roles.

“The task force which will be headed by the respective village chairpersons and councils will also include Village Health Team members one of whom will be a full time community health worker earning an allowance of 100,000 shillings a month. It will also include the parish chief, CDOs, Religious leaders, Schools representatives, health facility representatives, CSOs, volunteers and private sector among others” Said Prof. Omwasa

Robert Kwesiga the Secretary General Uganda Red Cross Society one of the key partners said they will be part of the teams that will be coordinating the activities of this community engagement right from the district to the village level.

“Our managers at districts will work with the district health teams in coordinating the activities of this community engagement during training, monitoring and support supervision. Our volunteers are going to be part of these community engagement committees that will be responsible for real time sharing of information, education surveillance and making sure that if there are cases they are referred.” Said Kwesiga

Todate, Uganda has registered 10,788 COVID-19 cases, 7,066 recoveries and 97 deaths .