Healthy Schools Program Uganda (HSPUG)
Schools play a vital role in enabling and promoting the wellbeing of students, families and their communities. With growing numbers of non-communicable diseases, mental health disorders and infectious disease breakouts in school communities, the need for collaboration between the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and all concerned stakeholders should be highly prioritized and included in all National Development Plans.
ILERA-I identified a gap in school healthcare service delivery, due to the uncoordinated structure of concerned key stakeholders. Together with our partners, we have developed a comprehensive Student Health Information Management System (SHIMS). The digital platform comprises Web and mobile App which work with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) handheld medical devices to improve healthcare service delivery in school environments. The project focuses on coordinating the structure of key stakeholders including; District Health Officers, School nurses, School Administrators, Parents, Doctors, Health Education officers, Inline Ministries, and other concerned stakeholders.
SHIMS addresses gaps in school-based healthcare by enhancing the mode of regular medical checkups, medical data management, and timely interventions to improve student well-being,hence promoting academic performance.
Benefits of implementing a comprehensive school program;
• Enhanced health monitoring capabilities leading to early detection and intervention of health issues in school communities.
• Improved communication and coordination among stakeholders for timely sharing of student health information.
• Improved health outcomes for students through timely medical interventions and continuous health monitoring.
• Reduced absenteeism due to health-related issues.
• Strengthened healthcare infrastructure within the education system.
• Increased health awareness and literacy among students and their families.
• Support national social-economic growth as a result of employment opportunities and better community health outcomes.
The program is currently running as a pilot program in Mpigi, Luwero and Wakiso districts covering 6 schools and handling over 3000 students. We are looking for technical volunteers and funders to support our development process.
Mental Health Assessments in Schools
ILERA-I collaborated with partners, schools, and District Health Officers to develop a fully digital approach to support children’s mental health through a continuous assessment framework. Anxiety, depression, ADHD, Conduct Disorder, autism spectrum disorders are among various mental health conditions that are highly affecting school going children hence receiving less attention from key stakeholders.
Our focus is in supporting school health teams and educators through capacity building to confidently identify, diagnose and provide first-line assistance to students experiencingmental health breakdowns. Our IT partners Dijito TechLabs developed a comprehensive digital platform for efficiently conducting mental health assessments in school environments using standardized mental health tools that are recognized by WHO. The integrated PHQ-9 is equipped with AI technology that instantly analyses collected data to generate reports and trends for further support and informed decision making.
Adolescents with mental health conditions are particularly vulnerable to educational, emotional, and social difficulties hence developing risk-taking behaviours like drug abuse and sexual immorality. Our Team of school psychologists and specialized educators are ready to intervene for assessments and capacity building.
In-school Medical Camps (PrevCare)
Together with our partners from YITA LIFE™ medical services Uganda, we conduct on-school medical camps by experienced doctors and specialized health consultants. Students benefit from a one-on-one consultation for better understanding of their health and wellbeing status. We provide detailed general school health reports and individual reports for the school medical team accessible from our uhai™ platform. Parents and caretakers are given personalized login access to consult their children’s medical data through the uhai parent mobile app available on Play Store. Our services are available for primary schools, secondary schools and Tertiary institutions.
Services:
• Complete Health check-ups by Paediatricians, Physicians, specialized health consultants
• Screening; Sight, Hearing, Oral health, BMI, Respiratory system, Vital measurements
• Clinical examinations; Cholesterol (9>18 years), Haemoglobin, Urinalysis, Sickle Cell Disease, Hepatitis C Virus, etc.
• Medical history; Chronic conditions, medications, Allergies, Vaccinations
• Family history; Sickle cells, Diabetes, Blood pressure, Epilepsy
• Advise and recommendations to students exhibiting health conditions
• Detailed electronic medical records
• General Statistical reports and Health Trends.
Regular physical examinations and screening tests play a vital role in preventive healthcare.Contact us for more information…
Gender Equality for Sustainable Development Program (GESDP)
Joining the Gender Equality for Sustainable Development Programme in Uganda 2025 – 2027, ILERA INITIATIVE and other Local Government partners are developing a sustainable framework intended to empower school going girls and teenage mothers by granting them access to inclusive quality education and educating them on how to excise their Sexual and Reproductive Health rights (SRHR) to free them from sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns escalated incidents of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the form of intimate partner abuse, teenage pregnancy, child marriages and teenage mothers. This put additional strain on the already limited technical and financial government resources. A major aspect of the lockdown was schools’ closure, after which some pupils failed to return to school. This necessitates a more robust focus on addressing teenage pregnancy and the retention of adolescent girls in education.
Programme objectives
1. To improve inclusive access and participation of girls in schools, and enhance their transition to secondary level or other learning pathways;
2. To improve opportunities for women and girls to learn in safe, well managed and gender-responsive schools and communities and;
3. To enhance prevention and response, with increased access to integrated SRHR and SGBV/VAC services for women and girls in schools and communities.
Expected outcome
Strengthened the capacity of local Governments, communities, and schools to extend learning opportunities for adolescent girls, including teenage pregnant girls and child mothers and to both girls and boys who have dropped out of school or who are overage and at risk of dropping out.
Create a safe learning environment for vulnerable girls in Uganda.