On Monday, Dr. Atwine officiated the passing-out ceremony of 152 CHEWs at the Nakaseke District headquarters. The workers had undergone six months of training and are set to be deployed at the parish level.
Dr Diana Atwine the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health handing over a bicyle and kit for use to Community Health Extension Workers at Nakaseke district headquarters
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Diana Atwine, and Nakaseke Central Member of Parliament, Allan Mayanja Ssebunya, have clashed over the allowances for Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs). On Monday, Dr. Atwine officiated the passing-out ceremony of 152 CHEWs at the Nakaseke District headquarters. The workers had undergone six months of training and are set to be deployed at the parish level.
CHEWs, working closely with Village Health Teams (VHTs), are responsible for disease prevention, health promotion, and referring patients to health centers. The program, funded by the World Bank, aims to strengthen the community health system and bridge the gap between communities and formal healthcare services.
In Nakaseke, the World Bank and the Ministry of Health allocated UGX 2 billion for training, equipping, and paying monthly allowances to CHEWs. During the pass-out ceremony, district leaders led by LC5 Chairman Ignatius Koomu and Richard Mavuma, the District Secretary for Health, urged the workers to use the program to promote President Yoweri Museveni, who they credited for enabling them to get jobs. Mavuma even warned that any CHEW found opposing the president risked being removed from the payroll.
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However, MP Allan Mayanja Ssebunya criticized the leaders for politicizing the program, emphasizing that the CHEW National Policy, approved by Parliament, was designed to benefit all communities, regardless of political affiliation. He stated that each CHEW is entitled to UGX 370,000 per month.
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His remarks excited the CHEWs, who claimed they had earlier been informed that they would only receive UGX 200,000 per month.
Dr. Atwine dismissed MP Ssebunya’s claims, stating that the CHEW National Policy was approved by the Cabinet, not Parliament, and that the UGX 370,000 figure was incorrect.
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She did not specify the exact amount, but Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the Chairperson of the Health Service Commission, later clarified that CHEWs would receive UGX 150,000 per month. Dr. Atwine also warned the CHEWs against impersonating medical workers or illegally opening clinics.
"Do not pose as medical workers or open up clinics. If you do, we shall remove you from the program and arrest you for impersonation and operating illegally. Stick to your responsibilities as trained." Each CHEW received a bicycle, personal protective equipment (PPE), and a blood pressure machine to facilitate their work.
Nakaseke was selected for the program due to its poor health service ranking—111th out of 147 districts—according to the District Health League Table. The CHEW program is being piloted in 11 districts, including Luwero, Nakaseke, Lwengo, Butaleja, Nakasongola, Kwania, Kween, Lira, and Mayuge.
