Uganda – September 21, 2023

Last week, Living Goods hosted Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, the Director of Public Health at the Uganda Ministry of Health to our learning site in Bwaise, Uganda. The purpose of his visit was to witness firsthand the transformative impact of professionalized (skilled, supervised, compensated, supplied, and digitally enabled) community health workers (CHWs). He acknowledged the critical role they play in extending preventative, promotive, life-saving health care to their neighbors.

During his visit, Dr Kyabayinze had the privilege of observing CHW Musiimenta deliver services using the Smart Health App, a decision-support tool that aids CHWs to give standardized care. He noted a remarkable reduction in the child mortality rate, which has dropped from 151 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2001 to 52 in 2022, according to the recently released Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS23) by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.

Dr. Kyabayinze attributed this substantial improvement to the dedication and commitment of the CHWs who tirelessly engage with communities, educating mothers about proper hygiene, nutrition, and offering treatment for common childhood diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria. These grassroots efforts have greatly contributed to improved health outcomes at the household level.

Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, Director Public Health at the Ministry of Health Uganda with CHW Musiimenta during a community field visit to Kawanda, Uganda.

Dr. Kyabayinze praised Living Goods for its investment in professionalizing CHWs, especially supporting them with digital tools. This has empowered them to effectively assess, diagnose, and treat children, all the while generating data that can be leveraged to support decision making at the district and national levels. The director expressed his Ministry’s enthusiasm for potential collaborations with organizations like Living Goods to equip CHWs nationwide with digital tools.