Kigando Community Rebuilds its Health system and saves lives.
For years, the journey to the nearest health facility was a deadly gamble for expectant mothers in Kigando village. Isolated by by rugged hills and impassable bushy roads, the 10km trip to Kasambya Health Center III, often took over five hours. Many women never made it.
As a result, many opted for Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) instead of risking the long, exhausting trip.
“We used to lose mothers on the way to the health centre. Some would go into labour on the way and deliver by the roadside, without water or help,” reveals Mr. Ssekyambadde Robert, General Secretary of the Citizen Voice and Action (CVA) group in Kigando.
Today, the story is different. Thanks to relentless community advocacy and partnership with World Vision through the CVA model, Kigando now boasts a fully functional Health Center III, bringing health care closer to thousands of residents and dramatically improving maternal and child health care outcomes.
Years ago, Kigando’s only option was an under-resourced Health Center II with two medical workers and no inpatient services. Staff often arrived late due to long commutes, and patients were referred back to Kasambya Health Center III.
Weekly medical camps tried to fill the gap, but were overwhelmed. “We had only two medical workers, and the medicine supply was limited. We still had to refer patients to Kasambya Health Center III for admissions,” Recalls Dr. Dison Agaba, in-charge of the facility.
The staff, living far from the facility, often arrived late and left early, further straining service delivery. Mothers and children needed more than what was available.
Mothers like 26-year-old Rose had little choice but to risk the long journeys for delivery. When she was pregnant with her first child, she managed only two antenatal visits.
“The queues were too long and tiring. I would leave without being attended to,” she says.
Frightened by stories of women bleeding to death during childbirth, Rose decided to brave the 10-kilometer journey to Kasambya Health Center III.
“I started my journey a week before my due date. I had to get off the motorcycle and walk through rough patches. I feared getting into an accident.”
Community Advocacy Sparks Change
World Vision introduced the CVA approach in Kigando—a local advocacy model that empowers communities to engage with the government and improve public services.
“We organized community dialogues and invited the district health team,” says Mr. Ssekyambadde. “We presented a proposed bill to the sub-county and district councils.”
The community demanded:
Construction of a new health facility block with a maternity ward
Staff quarters for medical workers
More health personnel
Upgrading the facility from Health Center II to Health Center III
“We kept petitioning our leaders for three years. Eventually, our request was included in the district plan,” says Mr. Ssekyambadde.
A New Dawn for Kigando
In 2023, the community’s efforts bore fruit. Kigando Health Center was upgraded to a Health Center III, complete with, adding a maternity ward, labor suite, postnatal unit, inpatient department, piped water, solar power, and staff accommodation.
“We can now handle complications we couldn’t before,” says Dr. Agaba. “We also conduct medical outreaches to reach even more people.”
Rose’s second pregnancy tells a new story. This time, she attended all eight antenatal visits and delivered safely at the upgraded health center, just a short walk from home
With support from World Vision and dedicated local leadership, a once-forgotten community transformed its healthcare landscape.
“We now have hope,” says Ssekyambadde. “Mothers no longer fear childbirth. And children can grow up healthy in their own village.”
Thanks to CVA, women like Rose now have access to safe, quality healthcare close to home.
Story by: Mungu Jakisa Brian- Communications Officer, World Vision