Nabbanja pushes for preventive health care

The Prime Minister of Uganda Ms Robinah Nabbanja has encouraged Ministry Health to promote prevention in healthcare, arguing that preventive mindset will ensure that the majority of diseases affecting people are contained.

Nabbanja explained that such an approach not only saves lives but also reduces the burden on the health system.
“Today’s ‘gathering is a testimony to our collective determination to build on the successes of the previous health promotion conferences and confront emerging challenges with innovative approaches. We recognize the crucial role that Community Health Workers (CHWs) play in this mission,” Ms Nabbanja said Wednesday at the opening of the 3rd Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.

The conference focuses on exploring innovative strategies, digital transformations, sustainable practices, and effective partnerships to build robust health systems capable of preventing diseases and enhancing community well-being.

Organised under the theme "Building Resilient Health Systems for Disease Prevention through strengthening health workers", the meeting will also serve as a platform for Uganda to share best practices and success stories with key stakeholders on advancing health systems with a focus on Community Health Workers (CHWs).

Ms Nabbanja explained that the introduction of the Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) programme is a step in the right direction that promises to bridge gaps in service delivery and provide more structured support to the community health teams.
The Minister for Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng said the conference focuses on exploring innovative strategies, digital transformations and effective partnerships to build robust health systems.

“The goal of this harmonization process is to create a more efficient and effective Community Health Extension Workers (CHW) workforce that can better meet the needs of communities. However, our success in these initiatives hinges on ensuring that community health workers are adequately supported,” Dr Aceng said.
She explained that the workers are the backbone of the healthcare system, and their success directly translates into healthier and more productive communities.

Additionally, the conference presents an opportunity for Uganda to celebrate 50 years of dedicated provision of immunization services.
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health Dr Diana Atwine said that the success of health promotion and disease prevention at community level will largely depend on the strategy to sensitize the community when they integrate and optimize resources.