Kampala, Uganda: The Ministry of Health Friday concluded a week-long series of community barazas and free medical outreach camps across the five divisions of Kampala as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen disease surveillance, public awareness and preventive healthcare services.
The outreaches were conducted in partnership with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Village Health Teams (VHTs) and other health stakeholders across Kampala Central, Nakawa, Rubaga, Kawempe and Makindye divisions.
The medical camps were held at KCCA Primary School in Kamwokya for Kampala Central Division, Katoogo in Mbuya for Nakawa Division, Lubya in Rubaga Division, Kalerwe Market in Kawempe Division and Kabalagala Riverside in Makindye Division.
According to health officials, the campaigns mainly focused on preventive healthcare, early disease detection and community sensitisation, particularly targeting high-risk diseases including Ebola, Tuberculosis (TB), Malaria and HIV/AIDS.
Residents who attended the camps received free health screening services, HIV testing and counselling, malaria testing, health education and sensitisation on Ebola prevention measures.
The Ministry of Health said Village Health Teams (VHTs) played a critical role in mobilising communities and coordinating participation during the outreaches.
Health officials noted that the community engagements were aimed at improving public awareness, encouraging early health-seeking behaviour and strengthening local response systems against disease outbreaks.
The campaigns come at a time when Uganda remains on heightened alert following the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which recently prompted government to tighten surveillance and public health preparedness measures across the country.
Officials urged the public to continue observing recommended health guidelines, maintain proper hygiene practices and report suspected cases of infectious diseases to health authorities immediately.
The Ministry also emphasized the importance of community involvement in strengthening disease prevention efforts and improving public health outcomes at grassroots level.
Health experts say community barazas and medical outreach programmes remain crucial in bridging healthcare access gaps, especially among vulnerable populations in densely populated urban centres.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
