As COVID-19 sweeps through Uganda, our Village Health Teams (VHTs) have had to adapt to new safety guidelines. Finishing out Phase II of the KRMP malaria study, the VHTs are actively serving children who are suffering with malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea. But now, our team also faces the threat of COVID-19.
In the onset of the pandemic, our VHTs received COVID-19 safety training and were given personal protective gear so they could continue to work in the villages. Being advised to not meet with anyone in their home, VHTs now do all their testing outdoors, practicing social distancing for their own safety and that of the community members.
Our VHTs were among the first to receive no touch thermometers, allowing them to test first for fevers, and then for malaria if a fever is present. If the patient has a fever but tests negative for malaria, they can then be referred for COVID-19 testing.
The services our VHTs provide to rural communities in Uganda are crucial. The risk to their own health is real, but they continue to serve.
Please join us as we pray for the health and safety of our VHTs as they provide lifesaving treatment to the poorest of the poor during this time.