The Ministry of Health has directed health facilities across the country to hold community barazas every six months. The directive applies to National and Regional Referral Hospitals, General Hospitals, and Health Centre IVs and IIIs.
The initiative aims to build public confidence in health services, gather routine feedback from communities, inform the public about available services, and share key health messages.
In a letter addressed to facility management and chief administrative officers, Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, emphasized that while health workers play their role in advancing healthcare, “it’s imperative that we pay attention to the feedback from the community in line with the services we offer.”
She noted that such feedback “will enable us to understand the perception of the public to the services we are offering and institute measures to address any gaps that may arise.” Facilities are required to submit a report to the central coordinating team at the ministry after each baraza.
Dr. Andrew Odur, Acting Hospital Director of Lira Regional Referral Hospital, said the facility held its first baraza in March this year. He announced that the second engagement will take place on November 14 under the theme “The role of the community in improving health service delivery.”
Dr. Odur said the theme reflects the hospital’s desire to keep communities closely connected to their services. “We believe that through this engagement, we will reach a common ground where we all flourish and promote good health for this community,” he said.
He encouraged residents in and around the hospital to attend in large numbers. A community baraza is a public meeting where authorities, officials, and the public convene to discuss service delivery, demand accountability, and forge a way forward.
