Religious Leaders Urged to Champion Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

By Anthony Kushaba

Religious leaders in Ntungamo District have been urged to take a leading role in promoting health awareness and disease prevention within their communities.

The call was made by Ntungamo District Health Officer, Dr. Amon Bahati, during a religious leaders' advocacy meeting organized by the Ntungamo District Local Government with support from the Ministry of Health.

Dr. Bahati emphasized the influential role those religious leaders play in society and encouraged them to spread critical health messages on Malaria, Tuberculosis, HIV prevention, Mpox, immunizable diseases, malnutrition, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

District Health Educator Twesigye Nesterio and Tuberculosis focal person Ochom Robert underscored the importance of immunization, TB prevention and treatment, and the effective utilization of health services across all health facilities in the district.

Meanwhile, Moses Asiimwe, the district's disease surveillance focal person, warned that the risk of Mpox transmission remains high. He urged the public to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions against the viral disease, which has an incubation period of 3 to 17 days.

Sheik Swaleh Kashangirwe the district Khadi Ntungamo revealed that there is need for government to improve the quality of meat through its workers working closely with the Muslims.

Speaking at the same meeting, Ntungamo Municipality County Sheikh, Ali Taremwa, stressed the need for community cooperation in combating diseases.  

Similarly, Rev. Augustus Taremwa of South Ankole Diocese highlighted the urgent need to address mental health challenges, particularly among the youth, citing drug abuse and family-related issues as major concerns.

Nahabwe Rolands  the Ag. District Health Officer-Environmental Health revealed that the district still has a challenge of malnutrition and there is need for the communities to embrace having a balanced diet in a bid to check the challenge and have been doing cooking demonstrations as well as ensuring that all health facilities have nutrition demonstration gardens which he requested the religious leaders to embrace the idea.

The meeting brought together religious leaders from the Catholic, Anglican, Muslim, and Orthodox faiths.