The Government through the Ministry of Health (MoH) has officially opened Kasamba Health Centre III and also commissioned 332 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) in Bugaaki, Kyenjojo district in a bid to improve access to quality healthcare and bring essential services closer to the people.
Speaking during the commission, Dr. Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary at MoH, emphasized that CHEWs will play a key role in health education, disease surveillance, immunisation, and patient referrals.
“CHEWs will bridge the gap between health facilities and Village Health Teams (VHTs),” Atwine said they will also help transfer primary healthcare knowledge and improve home-based care.
“With smartphones for data collection, bicycles, iPads, medical kits, and screening tools, they will support early disease detection, better nutrition, HIV testing, and improved sanitation,” she said.
Health Centre III to boost service delivery
Kyenjojo district faces high malaria cases (31%), low antenatal visits, and an HIV prevalence of 6%. However, progress has been made in TB treatment (93%) and reducing malnutrition rates.
Despite the presence of Kyenjojo General Hospital, several sub-counties in the district, including Nyantungo, Butunduzi, Kyarusozi, Nyabirongo, and Kanyagaramire, lack local health centers. Residents in these areas often travel long distances, sometimes over 10 kilometers, to access medical services at Kyenjojo Hospital.
Dr. Atwine said the commission of the new health centre will go even an extra mile in curbing down the prevelance rates and improve health service delivery in the district.
“You were carefully selected because we believe you can transform healthcare in this area. Health services should not only be in hospitals or health centres but also reach households directly,” she added, stressing that approximately sh3 billion was injected in training and facilitating the CHEWs.
Located in the western region of Uganda, Kyenjojo district was established on November 28, 2000, after being carved out of Kabarole district. The district’s name is derived from the Rutooro word “enjojo,” meaning “elephant,” reflecting the area’s historical abundance of elephants. Administratively, Kyenjojo comprises one county (Mwenge) and three constituencies: Mwenge North, Mwenge Central, and Mwenge South. In 2009, the district was further subdivided to create Kyegegwa District.
