Healthy Child Uganda
In 1999, Canadian paediatricians began visiting Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) to support medical training and clinical care. In 2002, MUST faculty approached Canadian colleagues with a proposal to initiate a community-based education project targeting child health. Healthy Child Uganda was born.
HCU works with national and district health planners, leaders, and communities themselves to develop, implement, and evaluate initiatives that strengthen health systems and improve health for mothers, babies, and children. Many HCU activities provide training for university faculty and staff, health care workers, and community volunteers. Other activities encourage community development and innovation.
Because of the success of HCU, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Institute (MNCHI) was established at MUST in 2012. A key success of HCU is the Mama Toto Intervention (2012-2015) and the Mama Toto Package which offers an effective, low-cost, sustainable and replicable package suitable for implementation by districts themselves.
“There are many changes that are good in my community, like lower child mortality, less disease, immunization, good nutrition for our children.”
~ Community member, Mbarara
“HCU has done it because women and children are no longer dying a lot, and women no longer have problems in deliveries.”
~ Local leader, Bushenyi
Key Contacts:
Dr. Jerome Kabakyenga (MUST)
Ms. Teddy Kyomuhangi (HCU)
Dr. Jenn Brenner (UCalgary)
Partners:
Mbarara University of Science and Technology
Additional resources:
Associated Papers, Publications & Reports:
Healthy Child Uganda - The Mama Toto Experience Overview
Healthy Child Uganda - Community Owned Resource Persons Model
- Brenner, J. L., Barigye, C., Maling, S., Kabakyenga, J., Nettel-Aguirre, A., Buchner, D., … & Singhal, N. (2017). Where there is no doctor: can volunteer community health workers in rural Uganda provide integrated community case management? African health sciences, 17(1), 237-246.
Funding
Program undertaken with the financial support of Healthy Generations Foundation, Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Rotary Club of Edmonton Mayfield.
