Religious Leaders Urged to Preach Health Messages Alongside the Gospel
RUBANDA — The Minister of Health, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, has urged religious leaders across Uganda to use their pulpits to promote disease prevention and healthy living alongside their spiritual teachings.
Baryomunsi said religious institutions have a critical role to play in improving the health of communities because they bring together large numbers of people on a regular basis.
He made the call during the two-day Fourth Kigezi Joint Review Mission held at Volcano Hotel in Rubanda District, which brought together health experts, stakeholders and Ministry of Health officials.
The minister said many of the diseases affecting Ugandans can be prevented if communities are equipped with the right information and encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyles.
He urged religious leaders to incorporate messages on HIV prevention, hygiene, hypertension and other health concerns into their sermons.
Baryomunsi noted that religious leaders have a ready audience, with Christians attending church services mainly on Sundays, Muslims gathering for prayers on Fridays and Seventh-day Adventists worshipping on Saturdays.
He said this presents an opportunity for religious leaders to complement government efforts in disease prevention and health promotion.
“As they prepare us to go to heaven, they should also prepare us to have good health before going to heaven,” Baryomunsi said.
The minister said health messages should be packaged in a way that is easy for communities to understand and apply in their daily lives.
He emphasized that prevention remains an important part of addressing the country’s growing health challenges, particularly conditions that can be reduced through improved hygiene, healthy lifestyles, early testing and timely treatment.
The call comes as health officials in the Kigezi sub-region continue to raise concerns over challenges affecting healthcare delivery, including inadequate staffing and shortages of medicines in government health facilities.
Baryomunsi also warned against the theft and diversion of government medicines, saying the government would take firm action against individuals found responsible.
He said government had allocated about Shs1.7 trillion for medicines in the financial year, yet some drugs are still stolen, leaving patients without the treatment they need.
The minister said the government would continue strengthening measures to ensure medicines reach the intended beneficiaries.
He further appealed to communities, health workers and leaders to work together in safeguarding public health resources.
The Fourth Kigezi Joint Review Mission is aimed at assessing the performance of the health sector in the region, identifying challenges and discussing measures to improve healthcare services for communities.
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