'Moyo beats Adjumani in malaria control, pit-latrine coverage'

A recent study has revealed that Moyo has beaten Adjumani in providing services for controlling malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia.

The study, conducted in the two districts of Moyo and Adjumani, highlights that the provision of services by community health extension workers (CHEWs) to control these diseases was higher in Moyo compared to Adjumani in terms of performance.

The study further reveals that pit-latrine coverage in Moyo has improved at a much faster rate compared to Adjumani. Moyo has benefitted from the Digitalise, Equip, Supervise, and Compensate (DESC) model, which Adjumani lacks.

Strengthening Community Health Workforce in Africa project manager Tadius Tumwesige says the research compared Moyo, which had the Electronic Community Health Information system, with Adjumani, which did not.

This contributed to better knowledge among CHEWs and digitalisation made their work much easier and more accurate.

The study was conducted with Moyo as the intervention district and Adjumani as the control district to assess the impact of implementing the DESC model on the performance of CHEWs.

Tadius Tumwesige project manager for the Strengthening Community Health Workforce in Africa project speaking during the release of the research findings on Community Health Workers Digitalisation Project and close out of the project.

Tumwesige says use of the model improved CHEWs’ performance, particularly in reporting rates.

“We found that in the six months of the study, CHEWs in Moyo where the DESC model was implemented had an average reporting rate of 86%. This was in stark contrast to Adjumani, where the reporting rate was only 52%,” he said.

Through the project, more than 2,400 CHEWs were supported across five districts.

The Strengthening Community Health Workforce project, which has now ended, was implemented in Uganda, Zambia, Malawi and Senegal. It aimed to provide strategic direction for a national community health strategy, ensuring that CHEWs were well-equipped, competent, committed and adequately compensated.

In Uganda, the project focusing on four key result areas was implemented in the West Nile region districts of Moyo, Adjumani, Arua, Terego and Zombo.

“One of our priorities was to strengthen the capacity of CHEWs to help reduce vaccine-preventable diseases. This was achieved by training CHEWs to mobilise communities for outreaches and assist in organising integrated health outreach programs,” Tumwesige explained.

As part of these efforts, 253 integrated health outreaches were conducted, providing essential health services to remote populations.

“We provided health services to over 43,000 people, with more than 80% of them being children. They received vaccinations to prevent diseases, along with treatment and diagnostic services,” Tumwesige said.

To further support CHEWs, the project procured 400 smartphones, and the health ministry contributed an additional 72, bringing the total to 472 smartphones. The devices were distributed to all CHEWs in the project districts and integrated into the electronic health information system, which they continue to use.

Speaking during the release of the research findings of the community health workers digitalisation project and close out of the Strengthening Community Health Workforce in Africa ‘ at Golden Tulip on February 11, 2025, Amref Health Africa Uganda  country manager Dr Patrick Kagurusi said the use of digital technologies improved the accuracy and completeness of health data reported by CHEWs.

The project aimed at improving the accuracy and completeness of health data reported by CHWs, enhancing the timelines of health data reporting and feedback and to increasing the capacity of CHWs to provide quality health services.