Newly trained Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) have been warned against acting like doctors or setting up informal clinics, with officials urging them to focus on health education, disease prevention and referring patients to health facilities for professional treatment.
The warning was issued by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa while passing out 155 CHEWs in Mitooma District who had completed a six-month training programme under a Ministry of Health initiative aimed at bringing preventive healthcare closer to households.
Tayebwa cautioned the graduates against going beyond their mandate, saying their role is to identify health risks in communities, educate households and connect people to qualified health professionals.
“You’re not a doctor; don’t start acting like doctors, don’t start opening clinics in your homes. Don’t attempt to treat anyone. That is not your job,” Tayebwa said.
He urged the CHEWs to use the equipment provided to them to support communities and not for personal gain.
“The equipment handed over to you is not a gift for casual use but medical equipment to assist you in serving our communities,” he added.
Tayebwa urged the CHEWs to serve as the government’s eyes and ears in communities by identifying health challenges early and ensuring residents receive appropriate information and professional care.
The workers are expected to conduct community sensitisation, promote immunisation and antenatal care, support disease surveillance, identify health risks and refer patients to health facilities for treatment.
Tayebwa said the deployment of CHEWs will help bridge gaps in access to preventive healthcare, particularly in communities where residents face difficulties reaching health facilities.
The graduates were also equipped with bicycles, first aid kits, bags and other essential tools to support their work in communities.
Dr Richard Kabanda urged the CHEWs to spend most of their time in communities supporting residents.
“CHEWs must spend 80 percent of their time in the communities,” he said.
The Ministry of Health programme is designed to strengthen community-level healthcare by equipping CHEWs with skills to deliver health education, promote disease prevention and relay health messages directly to households.
Mitooma District has 12 sub-counties, six town councils and 79 parishes. Its health system comprises one general hospital, one Health Centre IV, 11 Health Centre IIIs, six Health Centre IIs and two private not-for-profit (PNFP) Health Centre IIIs.
