Action Group for Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDs (AGHA) Uganda

Context

The Action Group for Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA) is a health rights advocacy organisation in Uganda dedicated to raising awareness of the human rights aspects of health, and improving the quality of health and healthcare for all Ugandans. Grounded in a rights-based approach, AGHA mobilizes health professionals, in collaboration with communities, to be health rights advocates promoting equity and social justice for all Ugandans, with a particular focus on marginalized and vulnerable populations. AGHA has a proven track record of addressing health rights violations in Uganda through advocacy-oriented research, education and training. 

Founded in 2003 by a group of concerned Ugandan health professionals, AGHA has mobilized hundreds of members, fostered coalitions and local and national networks, conducted numerous health, human rights and advocacy trainings, and brought human rights awareness to key health and policymaking bodies. Building upon its expertise and knowledge, AGHA has started a nationwide movement of doctors, nurses, other health professionals, public health practitioners, lawyers, social workers, policymakers, government officials, and community members, who are committed to addressing the convergence between health and human rights in Uganda and throughout the world. AGHA is on the forefront of advancing the right to health in Uganda, and continues to forge the link between health and human rights through trainings, public education campaigns, coalition-building, research and policy advocacy.
Website:
www.agha.or.ug
Area of Work:
Africa
Contact Person:
Kilande Esther Joa
AGHA’s Vision: A world of equity and social justice where health rights are respected and enjoyed by all.
Mission: To promote and advance health and human rights including in the response to HIV&AIDS in Uganda through research, training and advocacy

Approaches to implementing Community monitoring/accountability

AGHA’s Transparency and Accountability Campaign emerged from its work on tracking and monitoring the national health budget that falls under Research, Information and Knowledge Management (RIKM) program. Given the decentralization of the health sector, AGHA decided to focus the efforts of the campaigns at the district level for instance in 2008 AGHA developed a resource monitoring tool, which was used to collect data on funds to the health sector at the district level and also to understand civil society’s role in the planning and budgeting process, the findings of the survey indicated that information about budgets and plans in most of the districts is very scanty and difficult to obtain largely due to poor record keeping, but also due to lack of transparency. AGHA launched another campaign which built the capacity of Ugandan CSOs to advocate for government accountability and transparency in the health sector.
AGHA has been applying social accountability tools particularly the Citizens Report Card (CRC) and the Community Score Card (CSC) to promote transparency and accountability in health service delivery.

Lessons and Results

  • Involving local government leadership in the implementation of community health monitoring initiatives increases ownership and more results
  • Community members become self advocates if empowered with information on patient’s rights
  • Community health service monitoring requires good mobilization skills
  • Community health service monitoring requires regular monitoring for more results to be achieved especially issues developed by the community in action plans
  • Increased interest by district leadership, Community Based Organisations to institutionalise the community score card.
  • VHTs and the HUMC lack knowledge on their responsibilities to inform their actions for example they lack the VHTs guidelines, the Local Government Act and decentralization policies.
  • AGHA has increased awareness of patients’ rights among health workers and vulnerable groups, Health Unit Management Committees (HUMC) are now aware of their roles and responsibilities and they started monitoring the provision of quality health care for vulnerable people in lower health facilities.
  • Accountability mechanisms in the health facility have increased and this has provided platforms for vulnerable groups to air out their grievances for example through monthly health facility meetings and use of suggestion boxes.