Otuke District Trains 108 Community Health Extension Workers to Boost Service Delivery
By Okidi Patrick
OTUKE, UGANDA – Otuke District Local Government, in partnership with UNICEF, has concluded a high-profile engagement for 108 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) aimed at transforming healthcare delivery at the grassroots.
The training, held at the Otuke Governing Centre, marks a decisive phase in the district’s journey to fortify Primary Health Care (PHC) and achieve Universal Health Coverage. Each of the 54 parishes in the district selected two members to form a frontline cohort equivalent to a Health Centre I.
With focus on NRM ideology and health Service delivery, the Otuke Assistant Resident District Commissioner (ARDC), Isaac Opio Opeo, popularly known as “Akankwasa”, urged the trainees to embrace the NRM government’s core ideologies of patriotism, democracy, and socio-economic transformation.
“You must be patient and patriotic. We thank H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for including Otuke among the pilot districts for this vital project,” Opio said. In the Lango sub-region, the same training is taking place and is being implemented in Oyam, Kole, and Dokolo
The Otuke Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Eric Massiga, who officiated at the event, cautioned the trainees against indiscipline.
“The government is going to pay you for your services. You must take this training seriously because you are now the first point of contact for health in your communities,” Massiga noted.
Bridging the Gap
The Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO), James Ingoi, who represented the CAO, described the CHEW initiative as a solution to longstanding gaps in the health system. He noted that most health challenges originate at the household level and can be resolved through preventive measures.
“I urge you to champion sanitation, hygiene, and preventive health. Your mission is to drive behavioral change and ensure full parish-level coverage in public health mobilization,” Ingoi advised.
The CHEW model has already shown early success. Since the 2022 pilot in Mayuge and Lira, districts with these extension workers have reported improved immunization coverage, higher antenatal care attendance, and better early detection of malnutrition.
