Africa-Press – Uganda. Health stakeholders have outlined a series of urgent recommendations aimed at strengthening service delivery and closing persistent gaps in Uganda’s health system, following a Regional Community-Led Monitoring dialogue held in Lira City.
The dialogue brought together health officials, community representatives, and civil society actors who identified critical areas requiring immediate action at both regional and national levels. The discussions focused on improving access to services, addressing staffing shortages, strengthening accountability, and enhancing community involvement in healthcare delivery.
Among the top priorities raised was the need for strategic upgrades of lower-level health facilities. Stakeholders emphasized the importance of elevating Health Centre IIs to Health Centre IIIs and IVs to expand the range of services available, particularly maternal and general healthcare. This upgrade is expected to reduce congestion at higher-level facilities and bring essential services closer to communities.
Facility security also emerged as a pressing concern, with participants calling for stronger community involvement in safeguarding medical supplies and equipment.
Stakeholders stressed that fostering a sense of ownership among community members could help curb theft and ensure that critical resources remain available for patient care.
Human resource challenges were another key focus, particularly in facilities operating with less than half of the required staff.
Stakeholders called for urgent recruitment to address staffing gaps, warning that under-resourced facilities risk compromising the quality of care and overburdening existing health workers.
In addition to recruitment, there were calls to better define roles and responsibilities within facilities to improve efficiency and reduce burnout among staff.
To strengthen accountability, the dialogue proposed the introduction of official timesheets to monitor health worker attendance, alongside the establishment of a toll-free line that would allow citizens to report concerns or provide feedback in real time. These measures are intended to improve transparency and responsiveness within the health system.
Community-led oversight was also highlighted as a critical component of improving service delivery. Stakeholders recommended the increased use of Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) to monitor facility performance and ensure that services meet the needs of the population at the grassroots level.
This approach is expected to bridge the gap between communities and health providers, while promoting greater accountability.
Improving patient experience was another major theme, with calls for mandatory training of health workers in empathy and professional ethics. Stakeholders noted that provider attitudes remain a significant barrier to care for many patients, and addressing this issue is essential for building trust in the health system.
Policy and documentation reforms were also discussed, particularly the need to ensure universal access to antenatal care services.
Stakeholders recommended standardizing the issuance of antenatal care (ANC) cards so that no woman is denied services due to the absence of a partner or a recommendation letter from local authorities. This measure is seen as a crucial step toward eliminating barriers to maternal healthcare.
