“When they [health workers] come to the community where we stay, it becomes easier for me to have my child immunised. It saves me the burden of walking all the way to the facility. In fact, I shouldn’t have an excuse of not having my child immunised against the childhood killer diseases,” a visibly happy Janat Mutesi said of the just concluded integrated Antenatal Care and Immunisation outreach in the Eastern Uganda district of Luuka.
Mutesi was not alone in welcoming the development, with Maliza Mbeiza expressing the same gratitude: “To someone using motorised transport it can be easy to move any distance but to us even two kilometres can be a hindrance. So, if someone brings the service just next door, we feel happy and that’s why we are here today.”
The outreach spearheaded by Makerere University’s Community in which Mothers Thrive (COMONETH) Project, Uganda Development and Health Associates (UDHA) and the District Health Team aimed at improving poor performing maternal, newborn and child health indicators. Created seven years ago, Luuka has persistently performed poorly in the Ministry of Health’s District League Table which tracks performance. Records indicate that the district has been struggling with Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DPT3) and measles vaccination, as well as the fourth antenatal care visit.
“It is against this background that we joined hands with another partner UDHA to work with the district to use available resources to try and make a change,” says COMONETH Principal Researcher Prof Peter Waiswa. “The district which is also faced with health sector management crisis needed a catch-up phase and we hope this outreach can demonstrate that even with the available little resources, something can be done.”
According to COMONETH’s Dr Felix Kizito, different focal persons and stakeholders in the district, sub counties and parishes and a plan was drawn for the weeklong activity that went to 43 parishes, not sure what to anticipate.
“We didn’t know what to expect but we have been surprised by the numbers. the community has embraced the activity and have been touched and that shows that they need this regularly,” said Dr Kizito on Thursday evening. “We were worried about ANC due to privacy issues, but we have worked with schools and churches and private spaces were provided for antenatal care clinics. Women have come and we are seeing an average of 30 per outreach.”
The outreaches gave the district chance to address missed opportunities regarding children who had hitherto not been immunised, according the Assistant District Health Officer Ms Ruth Nafula.
“In some parishes we received children as old as three years but never received any antigen. So, I think going forward, it is important to mobilise, do birth registration so that we know how many children there are and look for those that have not turned up for services.”
While seen as largely successful, and with the final numbers of how many clients were served, the weeklong activity did not pass without challenges.
Ms Sarah Namutamba, COMONETH’s Project Coordinator observed that though the high turn-up was a possibility, “we did not think the clients would use up the available stocks of some medicines and supplies as noted in several sites. The exercise has nonetheless given us a proper way of planning for the next outreach. What we have seen is going to help us plan better. The population is too high, and the resources are few.”
