Working through community structures: the role of community health workers in cardio- metabolic disease care in Bidibidi, Uganda
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Date
2026-02-05
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Publisher
Bristol University Press
Abstract
This chapter examines how community health workers (CHWs) support refugees with diabetes and hypertension in accessing health services and engaging in self- and social care. Despite limited resources, CHWs perform three critical roles: 1. Relational Work: CHWs connect with the community, facilitate communication with healthcare staff, help patients re- engage with services, advocate for patients, and act as intermediaries. 2. Healthcare Work: CHWs monitor and screen for illnesses, refer complex cases, promote health, deliver medication, monitor adherence, and follow up with patients. 3. Community Engagement Work: CHWs assess community conditions, engage in sensitisation, and mobilise efforts. These three types of work are crucial to maintaining the continuity of care for refugees with chronic conditions. Our findings underscore the importance of CHWs and the need to integrate them into the formal healthcare system.
Description
This study highlights how community health workers play a vital role in supporting refugees living with diabetes and hypertension. By improving access to essential services, empowering individuals in self-care, and connecting communities to health facilities, these workers help refugees better manage chronic conditions and reduce daily hardships. The research emphasizes the human impact of these efforts, showing how strengthened community care addresses the unique challenges faced by vulnerable populations. The findings advance Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) through improved prevention and continuity of care, SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by meeting the health needs of refugees, SDG 1 (No Poverty) by easing the economic burden of chronic illness, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by fostering collaboration between communities and health systems. Aligned with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV, this work supports national efforts to strengthen primary healthcare, promote inclusive health services, and build resilient, community-based systems—especially in fragile and refugee-hosting settings.
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Citation
Dræbel, T. A., Gyawali, B., Ratib, D., Nakanjako, R., Nanfuka, E. K., Raju, E., ... & Skovdal, M. (2026). Working through community structures: the role of community health workers in cardio-metabolic disease care in Bidibidi, Uganda. In Continuity of Care for Forcibly Displaced Persons Living with Chronic Illness (pp. 57-77). Policy Press.