The Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, has officially commissioned 124 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) in Koboko District, marking a significant step in strengthening Uganda’s community health system.
The commissioning follows the launch of the CHEWs programme in August last year, a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Health, The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), and the Koboko District Local Government.
The programme is designed to address the country’s high disease burden and critical shortage of health professionals, especially in rural and high-risk areas.
Initially piloted in Lira and Mayuge districts, the initiative has now scaled up to 24 districts, with a total of 1,242 CHEWs trained and deployed nationwide.
Dr. Aceng emphasized the strategic importance of Koboko, which lies at the border with both the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan — regions that pose increased public health challenges due to frequent cross-border movements and limited healthcare infrastructure.
“Koboko is at a critical intersection,” she noted. “These new CHEWs will play a pivotal role in disease prevention, early detection, and community-based care.”
The CHEWs are expected to serve as a vital link between health facilities and communities, promoting health education, conducting home visits, and supporting immunization and maternal health programmes.
The Ministry plans to continue scaling up the initiative across more districts, aiming to build a resilient health system through a strong, community-rooted workforce.