The first deputy prime minister and minister for East African Community Affairs, Hon. Rebecca Kadaga has officially launched the Busoga Press Health Group, a community based organisation comprising of local journalists to sensitize residents on health issues.
The group that mobilized and organized a proactive health camp at Jinja city hall over the weekend aims to improve health literacy and awareness among the local communities across the Busoga subregion.
They believe that the dissemination of health information through through their respective media platforms could potentially cause a significant transformation towards people’s health.
Officiating at the event that attracted several stakeholders from health ministry, private health organisations and locals who embraced the health camp, Kadaga commended the young reporters who embarked on the important move that benefits communities by improving their health statuses.
“It is very exciting that we have the first health press group in Busoga. The Press is known for rumourngering, but these are now addressing something that concerns the community. Men, women, and children are going to benefit,” said Kadaga.
Kadaga encouraged the group of reporters to go further to health facilities to establish the quality and type of drugs supplied and the level of staff deployed in the facilities to get more information about Uganda’s health sector to effectively address the health challenges.
Reporters say they are challenged with difficulty in accessing information from medical professionals and health facilities, which Kadaga emphasized the implementation of Uganda’s Access to Information Act.
“I want to inform you that we have a law that gives you access to information. People in the health sector must give information,” she emphasized.
Kadaga advocates for improvement of the health sector in Busoga subregion, calling on the health ministry to prioritize the procurement and establishment of cancer institute and blood Bank at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital that houses patients from the whole of Eastern region. She said her efforts to engage the minister for health about the matter are yet to yield
Julius Mukasa attached to a local Baba fm, who is president of the group, stated that they envision having a healthy and productive Busoga community.
Established in 2019, the Busoga health press group has since collaborated with health educators, political and religious leaders, medical experts, and nonprofit organisations that provide support and technical guidance for the success of the initiative.
According to Mukasa, health does not begin in a hospital or clinic but begins from homes and communities, with the food, water, and air that individuals consume. He elaborated on the importance of the media in sensitizing and mobilising masses for good health.
“Despite the seeming importance of the media in covering and disseminating health issues, there has been a minimal coverage for health issues in the Busoga’ media. This is due to lacking sufficient passion to set the agenda on health issues and lacking prominence in media positioning,” said Mukasa.
Mukasa wants the government through the Ministry of Health and other civic organisations to organise special health education for the reporters to acquire more technical skills to enable their effective and professional reporting.
Sirina Kyakuwaile Kamya, the deputy speaker of Jinja city council, pledged support to the group, promising that the city council would recognise the group’s initiative in the next financial year to facilitate their activities.
