Concerned Action for Health (CAFH)

Background

Concerned Action for Health is a nonprofit organization in Uganda that was founded in 2005. It engages in health campaigns, advising individuals on health and sanitation practices. ²

Crossroads Global Hand reports that CAFH has a budget of less than $500,000 per year. ²

Programs

Health

Under its list of health services, Concerned Action for Health provides sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing and distributes condoms. It also advertises options for individuals to pursue so-called “family planning” services, child and maternal health care, and vaccinations. ²

In Uganda, it has been customary for maternal and initial neonatal care to be delivered by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), described by the nongovernmental organization Human Rights Research Documentation Centre-Uganda (HURIC-Uganda) as “lay persons with minimal or no formal health training who assist during pregnancy, childbirth, and the immediate post-partum period.” ³

It 2010, the Ugandan government banned TBAs from delivering babies and renamed the category of health provider to Traditional Birth Referral Assistants (TRBAs), requiring TRBAs to direct mothers with potential obstetric complications to the formal health-care system. CAFH began training TRBAs and engaged in campaigns that promoted education on maternal health needs. ⁴

Psychological

Concerned Action for Health’s psychosocial program provides counseling for victims of domestic violence, gender-based violence, and orphans or other at-risk children. It engages in campaigns that advocate on behalf of such persons, addressing how they can be victimized. ²

Water Sanitation

Concerned Action for Health provides information on how to safely store water, access water sources, and how to engage in conservation efforts to preserve a water source. ²

In 2007, CAFH partnered with Project WET, a program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to address the spread of waterborne diseases in Africa. ⁵ CAFH and Project WET came up with a campaign titled Healthy Water, Healthy Habits, Healthy People which spread educational materials on how to prevent waterborne diseases. Materials included graphics on hand washing, the water cycle, and water systems. ⁶

Welfare

On behalf of impoverished individuals, Concerned Action for Health advocates for income-based welfare programs, socially funded food programs, and “care and support” welfare programs. ²

In 2016, CAFH partnered with the World Food Programme (WFP), Action Against Hunger (ACF International), and Coverage Monitoring Network to address food insecurity and malnutrition issues. CAFH joined the partners in food distribution programs and researching its effects on health outcomes, food production, and food availability. In the program’s 2021 research report, it found that there was varying success in reducing issues of malnutrition and that many people experienced malnourishment because they were unaware of the issue. It also argues that malnourishment was best addressed through health education campaigns. ⁷

Leadership

Komakech Denis has served as the project manager of Concerned Action for Health since its founding in 2005. Previously, he served as a managed care organizer for St. Mary’s Lacor Hospital in Uganda. ⁸