Uganda's Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Malaria Consortium continue to deepen their collaboration in efforts to combat malaria.

Following a meeting Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, at the MOH Headquarters, on Thursday, groundwork was laid to empower Village Health Teams (VHTs) in Buikwe District.

Representatives from both entities met with VHTs from Wakisi Division, Njeru Municipality of Buikwe District, to implement innovative solutions to community health challenges. Central to this initiative is the adoption of digital tools to streamline health data management and service delivery.

Mr. Solomon Muhumuza, a Data Governance & Security specialist at MOH, underscored Buikwe District's pivotal role as a model for implementing the Electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS), as discussed during the boardroom session. "Buikwe District is a model district for the implementation of the electronic community health information system (eCHIS). Learnings from this implementation have been replicated to other districts in the country," Muhumuza stated.

Dr. Nuwa Anthony, Senior Country Technical Coordinator for the Malaria Consortium, reiterated the consortium's commitment to supporting MOH's efforts in Buikwe District. "Together with MOH, we have trained and equipped 837 out of 1147 VHTs in Buikwe District with smartphones to ease and expedite the implementation of the Electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS)," Dr. Anthony affirmed.

Additionally, MOH disclosed ongoing discussions with key partners, including the Global Fund and UNICEF, to explore local smartphone production. This strategic move aligns with the vision of reducing costs and ensuring sustainable maintenance of digital health infrastructure.

As the meeting concluded, VHTs expressed enthusiasm for the forthcoming training and implementation phases. "Thank you to MOH and the Malaria Consortium for equipping us with the necessary tools and resources," expressed Kiggo Livingstone, an HIHA award-winning VHT from Kabubiro village.