CHW Cissy Nabasumba, Masaka District, Uganda

“People in the community now bring children to our homes for treatment, and some still call us when their children are sick. Having free medicines has eased our work. The people in the community are happy. The biggest challenge I have faced so far is that people do not easily change behaviors, so we have to keep sensitizing and educating them about handwashing and maintaining a distance from other people.

Additionally, when I call clients for follow up, their phones are sometimes off. When I’m assessing children, I wear a mask, gloves and keep a distance. For example, when diagnosing pneumonia, I stand at a distance and ask the caretaker to help in counting the breaths of the child. Parents are happy about the support they have received, in form of free medicines for their children. Many cannot afford to buy medicine at this time of the lockdown.

I also shared the Ministry of Health helpline, which is presented on the COVID-19 poster, at the start of the pandemic, and three of the mothers I was giving antenatal care to called the number and were evacuated by ambulances to go to the hospital for delivery. It makes me proud that I have been able to help my community in such ways.”