New Surveillance Project to Boost Death Reporting Accuracy in Kalangala and Buvuma Islands
Spearheaded by Makerere University School of Public Health, the Mortality Surveillance Project seeks to equip local health facilities with tools and training to enhance the accuracy and speed of death reporting, addressing a long-standing gap in these remote communities.
By Hope Angel Nuwataho
Kalangala and Buvuma districts are set to benefit from a new initiative aimed at strengthening death reporting and improving public health planning in Uganda's island regions.
Spearheaded by Makerere University School of Public Health, the Mortality Surveillance Project seeks to equip local health facilities with tools and training to enhance the accuracy and speed of death reporting, addressing a long-standing gap in these remote communities.
Dr Stephen Kabwama, head of research at Makerere School of Public Health, emphasized the urgent need for the project, noting that while Kalangala and Buvuma districts experience high death rates, only about 10% of these are officially reported to the government.
"With the support of organisations like NIRA and the Ministry of Health, we aim to educate the community on the importance of registering deaths," said Dr Kabwama.
He encouraged local leaders to assist in the project, hoping to close the reporting gap that hinders effective health response and planning.
Robert Kasumba, head of mMonitoring and evaluation at the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), highlighted the role of the new registration policy, which aims to prioritize high supervision of birth and death registrations in partnership with the Ministry of Health.
“We’re collaborating with local councils and parish leaders to educate and facilitate the island populations, ensuring they understand the benefits of official death registration,” Kasumba stated.
The project involves training community members and local authorities across Buvuma’s 84 islands and Kalangala, where health resources are limited.
Dr Anthony Byarugaba, a health educator in Buvuma, explained that the island district faces unique challenges, with only 16 health centers spread across 84 islands.
“The distance and lack of transport make it hard for health workers to reach every island,” Byarugaba said.
He noted that, before the project, misinformation about registration discouraged accurate reporting among residents.
Dr. Kabwama expressed gratitude to the project’s partners, including NIRA, the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), and the CDC Foundation, for their support in bringing essential registration resources to these underserved areas.
The Molarity Surveillance Project is expected to enhance health data collection, ultimately contributing to better healthcare delivery and community well-being in the island districts.
