Mukono District, Uganda

Omni Med operates in the Mukono District of Uganda, located two hours (longer with traffic) east of the capital city, Kampala, by vehicle. This strategic location provides access to both rural communities and urban healthcare infrastructure, making it an ideal base for our community health programs.

Mukono District is home to diverse communities, from fishing villages along the shores of Lake Victoria to agricultural communities inland. This diversity allows our volunteers to experience the full spectrum of health challenges and solutions in rural Uganda.

Uganda Overview

Population:

~45 million people

Capital:

Kampala

Languages:

English (official), Luganda, and many local languages

Government:

Constitutional republic with three branches of government
Independence in 1962 from the United Kingdom

Mukono District

Population:

~596,000 people

Location:

Central Uganda (Buganda), east of Kampala

Economy:

Agriculture, fishing, small-scale trade

Geography:

Rolling hills, Lake Victoria shoreline

Health Context

Leading Causes of Death:Malaria, HIV/AIDS, TB, and respiratory, diarrheal, and infectious diseases

Healthcare Access:

Limited in rural areas, supported by VHTs

Human Resources for Health:

Physicians density (per 1000 population) (2015): 0.093
Nursing and midwifery personnel density (per 1000 population) (2015): 0.648

Our Role:

Training and supporting community health workers

Cultural Context & Community Life

Daily Life

Most community members in Mukono District are subsistence farmers who work their land in the early morning hours. This agricultural rhythm shapes the timing of our VHT activities, with most health education sessions and meetings scheduled for afternoons when farmers return from their fields.

Fishing communities along Lake Victoria have different schedules, often working at night and early morning. Our programs adapt to these diverse community rhythms to ensure maximum participation and effectiveness.

Community Structure

Villages are organized under the Local Council (LC) system, with LC1 chairpersons leading individual villages. These leaders play crucial roles in our VHT programs, helping to select and support community health workers.

Extended families often live in compounds together, creating strong social networks that support health education and behavior change. Our programs leverage these existing community structures for maximum impact.

Health Centers

45 health clinics in Mukono

Village Health Teams

~2600 VHTs in Mukono District

Omni Med

1400 VHTs trained by

Omni Med since 2004