Healthcare at Karin Community Initiatives Uganda (KCIU)
At KCIU, we are committed to strengthening healthcare systems and providing high-quality, accessible, and affordable medical services to underserved communities. Guided by Uganda’s Ministry of Health (MoH) and operating under the Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau (UPMB) and the UK Uganda Health Alliance, we work to ensure that families—especially women, children, and vulnerable populations—receive the care they need without financial hardship.
Our Healthcare Approach
Our healthcare strategy focuses on:
1. Strengthening Healthcare Systems
- Expanding access to maternal and child healthcare by equipping Health Centre III (HCIII) maternity wards with modern facilities.
- Improving Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) services, ensuring early detection of complications, and establishing a functional referral system for severe cases.
- Enhancing family planning services and neonatal care.
2. Disease Prevention & Treatment
- HIV/AIDS Care: Free HIV/AIDS testing, counseling, and treatment to reduce transmission rates and support those affected.
- Malaria Eradication: Testing, treatment, and distribution of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) to vulnerable groups.
- Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases: Screening, treatment, and referrals for tuberculosis (TB), diabetes, hypertension, and other conditions.
- Nutrition & Child Health: Growth monitoring, malnutrition treatment, and promotion of breastfeeding and proper nutrition through community outreach.
3. Emergency & Obstetric Care
- Strengthening Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) services to ensure safer deliveries.
- Conducting antenatal and postnatal care to monitor maternal health and reduce mortality risks.
- Providing emergency response support, including maternal audits to assess and improve healthcare outcomes.
4. Community-Based Health Interventions
- Mobilizing communities through health education on disease prevention, hygiene, and family health.
- Running Community Health Insurance (CHI) programs to improve affordability of healthcare services.
- Conducting routine immunization programs to protect children from preventable diseases like polio, measles, and hepatitis.
Our Impact
Through our integrated healthcare approach, KCIU has significantly improved health outcomes in Gulu and surrounding areas. Our catchment population of 10,000 people benefits from expanded maternal and child healthcare, disease prevention programs, and enhanced community health structures.
Notable Healthcare Projects
UKaid – Northern Uganda (NU) Health Project
Between 2012 and 2014, KCIU executed the UKaid – Northern Uganda (NU) Health Project, spanning 14 months and focusing on enhancing healthcare access within Unyama subcounty, Gulu district. The project, funded with USD 35,000, aimed to increase the utilization of healthcare services. Noteworthy achievements included a significant rise in the utilization of family planning services, antenatal care (ANC) visits, and tetanus toxoid immunizations for pregnant mothers, showcasing KCIU’s ability to improve healthcare access and utilization among target populations.
USAID – Abt Voucher Plus Program
From 2018 to 2020, KCIU secured a subgrant award of USD 197,262 under the **USAID – Abt Voucher Plus Program**. This grant supported the implementation of a comprehensive **Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH)** program in 18 villages in Unyama, Gulu district. The program’s overarching goal was to increase access, coverage, and utilization of essential services such as ANC, skilled birth attendance (SBA), postnatal care (PNC), and family planning (FP). Remarkable outcomes were observed during the 29 months of implementation, including substantial increases in ANC utilization, SBA deliveries, and demand for family planning services, highlighting KCIU’s successful approach in improving maternal and child health outcomes.
KCIU has actively been engaged in implementing a 5-year subgrant award (2021-2025) from USAID – Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau (UPMB) titled Local Services Delivery for HIV/AIDS (LSDA). This ongoing project, valued at approximately USD 26,000 per year, focuses on HIV/TB infection prevention, care, and treatment, community-based demand creation for HIV/TB services, and linking infected clients to health centers for treatment. By leveraging community structures and partnerships with local government entities, KCIU aims to enhance HIV/AIDS and TB prevention efforts while improving access to essential healthcare services for key and priority populations. Through UPMB funding, KCIU has made significant progress in HIV/AIDS case findings in the community, with approximately 10,859 people tested for HTS_TST and 137 positives identified and linked into care, 3,264 referred for PMTCT_STAT, 455 babies bled for EID, and 32 TB positives identified and treated.
KMYM-CEP program
Additionally, KCIU has also been implementing the KMYM-CEP program, a one-year (2024) grant funded by PEPFAR. This initiative aims to combat HIV/AIDS through training peer leaders to deliver outreaches targeting Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) with HIV prevention, care, and treatment interventions. The project conducts health screenings, provides linkages to care at nearby health centers, organizes focus group discussions with MSM networks to identify service gaps, and prioritizes care and social support. It also emphasizes counseling MSM and their intimate partners on the importance of HIV testing and prevention.
Join us in making quality healthcare a reality for all. Support our mission by donating, volunteering, or advocating for better healthcare access in Uganda.
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