UNICEF’s training reduces neonatal deaths and promotes bi-weekly medical outreaches
Funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is contributing to increased community outreaches.
Stavo Kemigisha, a registered nurse, spearheads health outreaches in Nkanja Sub County, delivering critical services like immunization, Vitamin A supplementation, Deworming and malaria screening and treatment to women and children near Kyaka II Refugee Settlement in Kyegegwa District. The nearest health facility, Bujumbuli Health Centre IV, is a daunting distance for many families.
On this bustling day during primaries elections for local leaders, we find Stavo and her team at a roadside Tukulu (a small, open-sided shelter) in Nkanja Sub County. As we begin speaking, a pickup truck slows down, its occupants spotting the group of women and babies waiting under a tree. Grabbing a microphone, they broadcast election promises, a common sight during campaign season. They soon move on, and Stavo resumes her work, tending to the children.
Over 50 mothers sit quietly, exchanging stories. When engaged, they reveal a shared struggle: most are managing alone. The outreach site serves a community where long distances and limited resources hinder access to healthcare, as a result so many children miss or don’t complete their immunization schedule in this community. 3,872 under 5 children were registered through house-to-house registration in Nkanja Sub County of these 156 were identified as zero dose children and 193 under-immunized children.
Stavo, the only trained Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) nurse, vaccinates up to 50 children daily, assisted by non-technical staff handling documentation. “I serve because these people need hope,” Stavo says, her voice calm as Nakiwala Mirias, 21, approaches with her one-year-old son, Frank. “I delivered him in the village,” Mirias shares. “No boda boda (motorcycle), no 3,000 UGX shillings (US$1) fare.” Stavo, familiar with such stories, smiles and confirms Frank’s vaccination history in the local language, ensuring he’s up to date. Nearby, Katusabe Edith, 34, a mother of five aged 3 to 11, nods gratefully. “The hospital is far,” she says. “Some women fear seeking care after home births or lack support from men, without that support, you will struggle to get to hospital.”
This outreach is enabled by UNICEF’s provision of vaccines, training, and micro-planning, in collaboration with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for community mobilization and facilitation of the health team from Bujubuli HC IV to conduct the outreach. The partnership equips Stavo’s team to reach remote villages, ensuring care is accessible where it’s most needed.
At Bujubuli Health Centre IV, Dr. Michael Okwera, the facility’s in-charge, explains the impact.
“UNICEF’s training has reduced neonatal deaths, and the support allows bi-weekly outreaches to distant villages,” he says. However, challenges persist. Four of nine local health outposts within the refugee settlement have closed due to funding cuts, forcing families to travel farther. The population is transient, with families relocating for farming near army barracks or seeking work. Stavo, who has now joined us, adds, “A mother might be here today, gone tomorrow. New refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and growing towns increase demand, and this tent we are in right now, struggles against rain and overcrowding.”
A team from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited the neonatal intensive care unit at Bujubuli Health Centre which was originally established with UNICEF support and funding from UKaid. The unit has since received additional equipment through support from Enabel and Medical Teams International (MTI). Currently admitting up to 50 newborns per month, challenges such as limited space and insufficient funding to sustain the standby generator during frequent power fluctuations continue to impact the quality of care provided to the admitted newborns
At the district government offices, Mr. Ronald Mugabi, representing the District Health Officer, shares sobering data: “In Kyegegwa, 85 per cent of the population die before 50, mostly from preventable diseases.” He describes the labor-intensive house-to-house registration with UNICEF support to identify unvaccinated “zero-dose” children, and vaccine hesitancy. Community dialogues reveal deep-rooted misconceptions - some religious groups, like Nyangakaibu, oppose vaccines; mothers whose children develop fevers post-immunization spread fear in communities; and social media amplifies anti-vaccination narratives. “Low education fuels this,” Mr. Mugabi notes.
Fredrick Kamya, a representative from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is visibly shaken by the statistics. “85 per cent dying before 50 years of age? Malnutrition in camps killing children, and 17 per cent adolescent pregnancy rates? This spells doom!” he exclaims. A morbidity report shocks him further: malaria leads with 128,222 cases, followed by coughs, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections, totaling 359,575 cases. “We need conferences and regular meetings to rally partners,” he urges. “The Inter-Religious Council must join to boost resources and shift mindsets where education lags.”
Back at Bujubuli Health Centre IV, Stavo reflects outside the neonatal unit. “Malaria alone affects over 128,000 people. Every vaccine could save a life,” she says. Her team’s bi-weekly outreaches and Friday school visits for adolescent malaria treatment show progress. Community dialogues, supported by village health teams, have reduced hesitancy, even among resistant groups. “It’s about delivering care where people are,” Stavo emphasizes. “As a nurse, I see it all. I’m grateful for organizations like UNICEF and the Church, who go the extra mile to give hope to those who’ve lost it. Hospitals seem close when you have a car, but for someone without transport or the 3,000 UGX shillings (US$1) for a boda boda (motorcycle), it’s a world away.”
This collaboration between UNICEF and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints support is vital, but as Kamya’s call for action echoes, more resources are needed. Outreaches like Stavo’s are a lifeline, ensuring every child has a chance at a healthier future in a region where preventable diseases claim too many lives too soon.
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