KISORO, UGANDA – The Aid Support Organization (TASO), in collaboration with the Uganda Ministry of Health, has launched a six-month training program for Community Extension Health Workers (CHEWs) at the former Kisoro Primary Teachers College in Kisoro municipality.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Kisoro District Health Educator Valentino Mubangizi confirmed that individuals selected by their communities between September 1st and 14th will be trained to equip CHEWs with essential health skills to strengthen healthcare service delivery.
The district’s health department, in partnership with TASO, supervised the selection of over 142 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) for a training program consisting of four months of theory and two months of practical work in local health centres.
Mubangizi also noted that Kisoro District borders Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), resulting in high volumes of people seeking medical care across borders.
He added that the CHEWs will be trained to perform basic checkups, such as measuring blood pressure and screening for diabetes, to help alleviate the workload of health workers in sub-county and ward facilities.
Cue: Mubangizi. RR
While presiding over the launch of the training, Kisoro District Assistant Resident District Commissioner (ARDC), John Nizeyimana, emphasized that the CHEWs are not intended to replace Village Health Teams (VHTs). Instead, their role is to boost manpower and improve service delivery.
He further stated that the primary goal of the CHEWs’ efforts is to enhance the welfare of families by providing guidance and counseling to the sick and pregnant women on how to access health facilities.
Cue: Nizeyimana. RR
Attendees from various wards and parishes pledged to cooperate with all community members, both those who supported them and those who did not during the selection process.
They expressed confidence that the skills gained from the training would enable them to work effectively with residents from diverse communities across the district.
Cue in: CHEWs Vox Pox. RR
The successful launch of this program marks a pivotal step towards decentralizing and strengthening primary healthcare in Kisoro, promising to bring essential medical services closer to the people, especially in hard-to-reach and cross-border areas.
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