By Brian Atuhura

Health Workers in Masindi District have been urged to serve patients with empathy,humility and professionalism as a means of restoring public confidence in health services and improving the quality of care provided to communities.

The call was made by the Masindi District Chairperson,Patrick Wobusobozi,while closing a two-day capacity building training for health in-charges held at the District Headquarters.The training brought together health facility managers to strengthen their leadership,management and service-delivery skills.

Wobusobozi emphasised the importance of discipline,passion and professional conduct among health workers,noting that their interaction with patients can have a lasting impact on how communities perceive and respond to health services.He encouraged health workers to treat patients with humility and compassion,stressing that serving people well creates a positive legacy that may benefit them even after retirement.

"Health Workers should serve the public with passion and discipline and should always conduct themselves professionally.Patients come to health facilities seeking help,and they deserve to be received with humility,respect and empathy,"Wobusobozi emphasised.

Speaking at the same training,the Secretary for Social Services,William Mwambu,challenged health workers to give greater emphasis to preventive health care rather than concentrating mainly on curative services.

Mwambu explained that stronger preventive health practices can help reduce the burden of disease and contribute to a healthier population.He noted that healthy citizens are better able to participate in economic and Social activities,thereby contributing to the development of their families and communities.

The Chief Administrative Officer of Masindi District,Samuel Ruhweza Kaija,commended the District Health Office for organising the training,saying that continuous capacity building is essential in keeping health facility managers equipped with relevant and practical approaches to their work.

The CAO also underscored the importance of effective communication,urging health workers to use appropriate and reliable communication channels when conveying information to colleagues,patients,communities and other stakeholders.He noted that clear and timely communication is essential for ensuring that health messages are properly understood and acted upon.

The District Health Officer,Dr.Nicholas Kwikiriza Magambo,said the training was designed to address several critical aspects of health facility management and service delivery.

According to Dr.Kwikiriza,the main objectives of the training included equipping health in-charges with skills for effective management of health facility operations;strengthening leadership and supervision skills;improving human resource and performance management;enhancing financial accountability and resource utilisation;improving data management,reporting and evidence-based decision making;and strengthening quality improvement and infection prevention practices

He said strengthening these areas would enable health facility managers to exercise more effective leadership,make better use of available resources and improve the overall quality and safety of services delivered to patients.