Organisations and Research Institutions That Involve People In The Immediate Vicinity Increase The Number of Programme Participants Engaging In Health Seeking And Behaviour Change Practice: Lessons From MOD Public Health Foundation, MOD Public Health Consultants And Public Health Steering Team Uganda (PHSTU)

   

Figure 1: Staff of MOD Public Health Foundation during the debriefing meeting to Engage  Local Communities In The Immediate Vicinity called Kimaanya A, Masaka City. 

Building a critical mass of participants engaged in positive seeking practices contributes to better Health Outcomes in various communities.

any Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Government Organisations, Research Institutions, and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) including MOD Public Health Foundation Uganda, have a tendency to target communities far out and miss those in their immediate vicinity. This has repercussions that in turn affect the affinity of people in the immediate vicinity toward the Organisations.

This realization occurred to the MOD Public Health Foundation when two or three participants in an outreach activity we conducted remarked in unison: "We always see you going to conduct health education activities elsewhere but wondered when we would be targeted too."

This was a remark shared by many other programme participants. We gave them time to air their grievances and promised to reorganize in order to target them. It was a humbling lesson. Later as we were interacting the participants remarked that it seemed to be the trend with other service providers. There is a tendency to seek out communities away from the immediate environs where the Organisations are located and leave the ones nearer. Is this a tactic? Is this a failure in planning?

We are located at Plot 79, Bukoba Road, Near Gaz, Kimaanya-Kabonera Sub-county, Masaka City. The Organisation has been in existence for the last eight years since 2015. We have implemented several projects such as Sexual and Reproductive Health (SHR) for Adolescent Girls and Young Women, Social Economic Strengthening, Climate Smart Action, targeted health education and care services in far districts of Rakai, Ssembabule, Bukomansimbi, Mityana, Mubende, Luwero, Kassanda districts.

We have improved health outcomes and well-being for many of our targeted programme participants benefitting from those activities implemented far from our office location. However, until 2020 when our Organisation's funding ceased due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, MOD  Public Health Foundation was not deliberately engaging surrounding communities around her office location.

We were dumbstruck, seemingly alone on an island when the communities within our vicinities did not know the work we did as an Organisation!

Even without funding, we have since decided to start engaging surrounding communities for instance boda-boda stages, garages, and shop attendants in health promotion activities through community dialogues.

In 2022 we received funding from PEPFAR Uganda, which enabled us to play a demand creation catalytic role. We were able to engage males 15 years and above in Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) activities in Kimaanya-Kabonera Sub-county. We implemented this work in collaboration with Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP). Then on 5^th May 2023, we launched the “My Safety, My Health! Health is My Choice!” Strategy under the VMMC Campaign funded by PEPFAR Uganda. We provided opportunities for local communities including boda-boda riders at their stages and several other stakeholders surrounding our Organisation to play the roles of advocacy champions for VMMC services. After a few days of engagement, we started getting verbal appreciation for the work of MOD Public Health Foundation-Uganda in promoting good health messages through actively engaging local communities. Since the launch, we have registered 431 eligible men 15 years and above who have received safe male circumcision from MOD Public Health Foundation from around Kimaanya-Kabonera Sub-County.

Working with people in the immediate vicinity creates more options for health such as malnutrition rehabilitation, Fistula management referral, dental care, eye care, and chronic disease care. It strengthens network building, information sharing on health and development education, and communication which aligns those communities with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  In addition, it provides opportunities for immediate communities to access health, social, and development services offered by those Organisations. Involving programme participants surrounding the Organisation such as Boda-Boda Riders at their stages, food vendors and several other stakeholders is one of the principles of Communities of Practice (COP). It enables us to tap into resources that are easily accessible and acceptable. This, in turn, enables us to strengthen the systems and structures within which we motivate influencers to promote demand creation and awareness of sexual and reproductive health services including VMMC services and behaviour change communication.

For purposes of planning, programming, and Organisation policy development, it is important to include immediate vicinity communities that way these Organisations align with the international aspirations of good health and wellness for all and all age groups. This is one of the principles of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Increasing the coverage number, creating options, and reaching out to communities contribute to demand creation for health and development services.

Government and Development/funding partners should allow Organisations to target communities in the immediate vicinities because it improves service provision for all people, for all age groups as well as improving the affinity of the Organisation within the community.

We call upon local governments, central Government, planners, Policy makers, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Research Institutions, Faith Based Organisations (FBOs), Development Partners, Community Based Organisations, Local leaders, Schools, and Traditional Leaders to make plans through which they provide options for all people to access, afford, enjoy use of services, and lastly to allow people from surrounding communities to benefit from acceptable services through making room for communities within the immediate vicinity to be identified as Programme Participants. 

Do the surrounding communities to your Organisation/CBOs/CSOs understand and benefit from the work of your Organisation as programme participants or are you targeting Jerusalem and leaving out Samaria? 

Figure 2: An example of a preparation meeting before a health promotion community engagement activity to be  conducted in the immediate Vicinity vicinities of the MOD Public Health Foundation-Uganda

Figure 3: The different resources that make community outreach activities meaningful by the MOD Public Health Foundation-Uganda

Figure 4: A road side activity by the MOD Public Health Foundation-Uganda

Figure 5: Sharing roles among the MOD Public Health Foundation-Uganda staff

Figure 6: A Question and Answer Session in one of the outreach events by the MOD Public Health Foundation-Uganda

Figure 7: IEC Materials by the MOD Public Health Foundation-Uganda

Figure 8: A school-based activity by the MOD Public Health Foundation-Uganda staff

Figure 9: The MOD Public Health Foundation-Uganda Vicinity

Figure 10: One of the MOD Public Health Foundation-Uganda Vehicles. It is becoming difficult for us to move out to communities without SUVs or Four-Wheel Drive vehicles. We call upon well-wishers to donate a Four-Wheel Car please.

Contact us.

Samuel Waliggo, MPH

MOD Public Health Foundation, Uganda

P.O BOX 211, Plot 79, Bukoba Road,

Near Gaz, Masaka City,

Mobile: +256 772675563

Office:  +256 485660637

E-mail: samuel.waliggo@mod.or.ug

             samuel.waliggo@gmail.com