On May 16, Living Goods, a non-profit organization celebrated its 15th anniversary in a breakfast meeting at the Serena Hotel with key partners, government officials, the organisation's board, global leadership team, and CHWs—commonly known as Village Health Team members (VHTs) in Uganda.

At the celebrations, Living Goods founder and chairman, Chuck Slaughter said the organisation’s partnership with the Ministry of Health has elevated VHTs which has led to a reduction in child mortality in Uganda by nearly 30 percent.

Although he noted a growth over the past 15 years such as growth from supporting a few 100 VHTs to now nearly 8,000 and reaching over 5 million people, Chuck said there are critical elements needed by VHTs to effectively support communities. He highlighted the need for fair compensation, digital tools, need for support in coaching, counseling, training and supervision, supplies in drugs to treat children and expectant mothers, and payment for their services.

“We believe that all frontline health workers—including VHTs—need to be well supported as part of a well-functioning health system that can prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to disease outbreaks and pandemics. The VHTs need to be fairly compensated or paid,” Chuck said

Speaking at the celebrations, Dr. Diana Atwiine, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health said they are engaging the government to start paying VHTs through the Parish Development Model (PDM). 

Chuck Slaughter, Living Goods Founder and Board Chair, Jovrine Kyomukama Kaliisa, th Deputy coordinator of PDM, Hanifah Kawooya, State Minister for Health in charge of General Duties, Spera, the Country Director of BRAC Uganda and Amy Kakiza, the Director of Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications at Living Goods Uganda pose for a photo during the celebrations of Living Goods at 15 years

She commended the organisation’s work and said the Ministry of Health has been working with them and other partners to make sure the concept of VHTs is strengthened for VHTs to move from house to house to help in treating pregnant mothers, encouraging them to attend antenatal and making sure that children who have malaria are also treated.

“VHTs are not only in treatment but also in community health interventions such as vaccinations. When we have vaccinations, they are the ones that support us. The concept took root and we believe it is the cornerstone of improved service delivery at the community level. We believe that some small investment in VHTs can make a lot of difference,” she said.

Background

Since 2007, Living Goods Uganda has trained, supervised, digitally empowered, and supported more than 4,200 VHTs in 22 districts, and more than 4,000 through BRAC. The VHTs focus on reducing maternal and child mortality by treating malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea in children under five years and supporting healthy pregnancies. Additionally, they provide family planning counselling to women of reproductive age and mobilise communities for immunization services.

Uganda has more than 150,000 VHTs across the country, supported by the government and other development partners. Since VHTs were introduced in Uganda in 2001, they act as the first point of contact between households and the formal health system, creating linkages to health facilities for communities in remote areas where access is limited by barriers such as long distances, lack of transport, and unavailability of medicines/supplies.

Betty Okuku, a VHT in Kawempe Division since 2012 says she works in her community to treat children under five years of pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria. “I go door to door sensitising mothers about the benefits of immunisation and this has brought mothers close to me to always treat them and their children. I got training with Living Goods and it is the one that also trained me on malaria testing.

I was trained for six weeks and started working. They gave us phones to help us in treating. They have apps that we rely on to offer treatment according to age and medicine to be administered.