Kampala, (UG):- Purpose Health Care Africa (PHCA) together with stakeholders Thursday launched a community-led initiative aimed at equipping Village Health Teams (VHTs) to combat the growing threat of waterborne diseases in Kampala’s vulnerable slum communities.
The initiative officially unveiled on Thursday, October 24, at Kawempe Division Headquarters focuses on addressing critical issues such as waste management, climate change, and flooding, which contribute to the high prevalence of these diseases.
Daraus Bahikire, Executive Director of PHCA, underscored the urgency of supporting VHTs in managing waste at the household level to prevent drainage blockages that lead to frequent flooding and spikes in waterborne diseases.
“We are here to support VHTs by implementing a community-driven waste management education campaign,” Bahikire said, adding; “Flooding caused by poor waste disposal directly contributes to waterborne diseases like typhoid and cholera, especially in slum areas.”
Bahikire explained that the project would introduce a unique household clustering system where groups of 10 households will each be overseen by a health volunteer, tasked with promoting better waste disposal practices and fostering behaviour change at the grassroots level.
During the local stakeholders engagement meeting, participants highlighted the extensive waste management issues faced by slum communities such as Kawempe, Bwaise, and Makerere, where poor disposal practices, compounded by heavy rains, clogged drainage systems and exacerbated flooding.
Bernadette Bainomugisha, PHCA’s Project Coordinator, emphasized the importance of empowering VHTs with the resources and knowledge to address the health impacts of climate change. “Our mission is to enhance community resilience against the health challenges posed by climate change,” she said.
According to Bainomugisha, the project, launched on September 15 and planned for an 18-month duration, may expand to other slum areas in Kampala if successful. “By the end of this project, we expect a significant reduction in waterborne diseases and improvement in waste management practices,” she emphasized.
She emphasized that the project is people-centred, involving active community participation to achieve sustainable behaviour change.
Kawempe Division Deputy Mayor, Mr. Bakojja Badru, commended PHCA’s initiative, pledging the division’s support to the project. “Kawempe has long struggled with waste management and flooding. This project is timely and will benefit our communities greatly,” he said.
To further support these efforts, PHCA said it is committed to installing additional waste collection bins in targeted areas to complement the work of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
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