Community Health and Information Network (CHAIN) partnered with several patient and consumer organizations to organize a public dialogue on health literacy in Gayaza, Uganda with support from MSD. The objectives were to raise awareness of health literacy gaps, engage communities, and discuss roles in promoting health literacy. Activities included stakeholder discussions, HIV testing, cancer screening, exhibitions, and drama/dance performances. Over 600 people attended, 82 received cancer screenings and 305 were tested for HIV with 20 positive results. The event aimed to educate the community and engage organizations and residents in addressing health issues.

1. Community Health And Information Network (CHAIN) in partnership with patient and
consumer organizations including;
• Sickle cell Association Uganda (SAU)
• Epilepsy Support Association Uganda (ESAU)
• Joyce Fertility Support Center
• Uganda Women Cancer Support Organization (UWOCASO)
• National Care Centre (NACARE)
• Action Group for Health Human rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA) Uganda
• Uganda Child Cancer Foundation (UCCF)
• Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI)
• The AIDS Support Organization (TASO)
• Naguru Teenage Information Centre
• Uganda Young Positives
• Consumer Education Trust (CONSENT)
Organized a public dialogue on health literacy in Gayaza with support from MSD

2. PUBLIC DIALOGUE ON HEALTH
LITERACY

3. Objectives of the public dialogue;
•To engage patients and consumer organizations to raise
public awareness on health literacy
•To identify health literacy gaps in the community
•To dialogue with the public on their role in promoting health
literacy in their communities
Activities
• Key stake holders dialoguing on health literacy
• HIV Counseling and testing
• Cancer screening
• Exhibitions
• Awareness through Music dance and drama

4. Patient and consumer organizations exhibitions

5. Patient and consumer organizations exhibitions

6. Patient and consumer organizations exhibitions

7. Patient and consumer organizations exhibitions

8. key stakeholders dialoguing on health issues
The guest of Honor Dr Kaggwa Muggaga the
NCD focal person from World Health
Organization gives his perspective on health
literacy

9. key stakeholders dialoguing on health issues
Dr Innocent Mwesigwa of World Health
Organization speaks out on hepatitis B disease

10. key stakeholders dialoguing on health issues
Regina Kamoga CHAIN country manager
informs the community of their role in
promoting health literacy

11. key stakeholders dialoguing on health issues
A member from the Sickle cell Association
Uganda speaks out on sickle cell

12. key stakeholders dialoguing on health issues
A member of Uganda Women's Cancer
Support Organization speaks out on cancer

13. Participants take notes as key stakeholders give their
perspectives on different health conditions.

14. EXHIBITIONS
Patient and consumer organization exhibit
Information education and communication
(IEC) and behavioral change communication
(BCC) materials. Participants ask questions
and also pick materials

15. Information sharing at the exhibitions

16. Participants get IEC/BCC materials

17. Participants get IEC/BCC materials

18. An exhibitor explaining to participants as they
get IEC/BCC materials

19. Dr Kaggwa Mugagga
and Dr Innocent
Mwesigwa of WHO
interact with Jackie
Idduso from MSD and
CHAIN country
manager Regina
Kamoga as they move
to the exhibitions

20. Dr Kaggwa interacts
with exhibitors

21. Jackie Idduso the MSD Uganda representative

22. Uganda Young Positives pose for a photo with the WHO representatives, MSD
Uganda representative and CHAIN country manager

23. Home Based Care Alliance- Uganda (HBCA) is a Community Based
Organization (CBO) that provides home based care to People living
with HIV/AIDS, and through CHAIN empowerment programs, they
are able to do small scale enterprises, they exhibited some of their
products

24. Dr Kaggwa inquires about the organic charcoal
exhibited by HBCA
p
id soa
liqu

25. A patient care group exhibits hand made
fabrics, table mats and cloths, necklaces and
ear rings

26. Technology which uses solar energy to
purify water exhibited
It was introduced by CHAIN to reduce
water borne diseases and fuel wood
consumption in the community

27. FORUM THEATRE
Forum Theatre is an interactive form of
theatre that encourages audience interaction
and explores different options for dealing with
a problem or issue.

28. Epilepsy Support Association sensitizes the
public on epilepsy through forum theatre

29. Sensitization on epilepsy through forum
theatre
friends reacting to an epilepsy dilemma

30. The audience gives their views on
epilepsy during an intersession

31. A participant gives views on epilepsy during the forum
theatre

32. More views on epilepsy from a
young positive

33. Students closely look as a youth
group creates awareness on
Prevention of Mother to Child
Transmission (PMTCT) through
drama.

34. A young positive creates
awareness on HIV/AIDS through
music

35. the young positives sing about hope for the
already infected.

36. young positives appreciate CHAIN for their
partnerships with patient organizations

37. TASO drama group creates awareness on
HIV/AIDS through music and dance.

38. Group discussions
The participants were divided in groups of men,
women, youth (male and female) to discuss
the health literacy gaps and their roles in
bridging the gaps

39. The men's group shares knowledge on the
different disease areas, and their responsibility
as men on maternal health

40. The male youth group discusses the different
health conditions

41. a youth shares knowledge on cancer in the
male youth group

42. CHAIN FC- disseminates IEC
materials usually in the
community.
A youth from CHAIN football academy teaches
fellow youth on how to improve health seeking
behaviors.

43. youth excited as their member talks about
signs of sickle cell in children

44. Women discuss on the infertility issue.

45. Female youth talk about cancer

46. Groups give feedback on
the discussions

47. Participants queue for HIV/AIDS
counseling and testing

48. HIV testing

49. Cancer counselling and screening
Uganda cancer institute cancer screening
mobile
van

50. A doctor from Uganda Cancer
Institute explains how cancer
screening is done

51. With the use of model breasts
participants learn how to do
breast self-examination

52. Nutrition
As Doctor Kaggwa talks about good nutrition
as being very important to the participants'
health, CHAIN was able to emphasize his
message by providing a well balanced diet
meal to all participants.

53. community children line up for a meal

55. the dialogue attracted over 600
participants.
82 participants engaged in cancer
screening, 67 females and 15males.
305 tested for HIV, and 20 were found
positive.

56. pictorial summary

58. special thanks to;
MSD
Uganda Alliance of Patients’ Organizations(UAPO); Epilepsy Support Association
Uganda(ESAU),Sickle Cell Association Uganda(SAU),Uganda Women’s Cancer
Support Organization(UWOCASO),Action Group for Health, Human rights and
HIV/AIDS(AGHA), Joyce Fertility Support Centre Uganda(JFSU), THE AIDS SUPPORT
ORGANISATION(TASO),Uganda Child Cancer Foundation(UCCF), National Care
Centre(NACARE), CONSENT and Community Health and Information
Network(CHAIN)
World Health Organization(WHO)
GENERAL PUBLIC

59. Community Health and Information Network (CHAIN)
For more information contact;
www.chainproject.co.ug
Tell +256048660484
info@chainproject.co.ug
regina@chainproject.co.ug