Musoke David, Jonga Micheal, Ndagire Gloria Kisakye, Musasizi Benon, Gidebo Amanuel, Tolossa Asrat, Thomas Maya, Waiswa Peter, Rumsey Richard
Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
World Vision, Kampala, Uganda.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Mar 24;25(1):424. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-12585-0.
In response to increasing COVID-19 community transmission in 2020, the Government of Uganda established the National Community Engagement Strategy. As part of this strategy, COVID-19 taskforces were recommended in response to the pandemic. However, the extent to which these taskforces supported their communities during the pandemic is not clear. This study assessed the functionality, performance and contribution of the COVID-19 taskforces to response to the pandemic in Uganda.
A qualitative study was carried out that also involved functionality assessment of COVID-19 taskforces in 5 districts of Amuria, Karenga, Kamwenge, Bugiri and Pader. Twenty key informant interviews were conducted at national, district and community levels to gain insights on the COVID-19 taskforces. The data were analyzed by thematic analysis using the inductive approach with the support of NVivo version 12 pro (QSR International).
COVID-19 taskforces were created at national, district and village levels. Composition, surveillance and communication functions of COVID-19 village taskforce were best scored. A key feature of the COVID-19 taskforces was their multi-disciplinary and inter-sectoral composition. Coordination between the different taskforce levels particularly village, sub-county and district had gaps in communication and sharing of information. Parish level COVID-19 taskforces were either not functional or nonexistent. COVID-19 taskforces played different roles in response to the pandemic. At district level, the taskforces performed a more coordination role, mainly supporting planning and resource mobilization. However, the village taskforces were primarily engaged in interpersonal communication, awareness creation, and community mobilization for interventions including observing the standard operating procedures for controlling the pandemic.
The COVID-19 taskforces at decentralized government levels supported the response to the pandemic. These taskforces could be strengthened and utilized during response to future outbreaks across the country.
为应对2020年新冠肺炎社区传播的增加，乌干达政府制定了《国家社区参与战略》。作为该战略的一部分，建议成立新冠肺炎特别工作组以应对疫情。然而，这些特别工作组在疫情期间对其社区的支持程度尚不清楚。本研究评估了新冠肺炎特别工作组在乌干达应对疫情中的功能、表现和贡献。
开展了一项定性研究，其中还包括对阿穆里亚、卡伦加、卡姆温格、布吉里和帕德5个地区的新冠肺炎特别工作组进行功能评估。在国家、地区和社区层面进行了20次关键信息访谈，以深入了解新冠肺炎特别工作组。在NVivo 12 pro（QSR国际公司）的支持下，采用归纳法通过主题分析对数据进行了分析。
在国家、地区和村庄层面都成立了新冠肺炎特别工作组。新冠肺炎村庄特别工作组的组成、监测和沟通功能得分最高。新冠肺炎特别工作组的一个关键特征是其多学科和跨部门的组成。不同特别工作组层面，特别是村庄、次县和地区之间的协调在信息沟通和共享方面存在差距。教区层面的新冠肺炎特别工作组要么没有发挥作用，要么不存在。新冠肺炎特别工作组在应对疫情中发挥了不同作用。在地区层面，特别工作组发挥了更多的协调作用，主要支持规划和资源调动。然而，村庄特别工作组主要从事人际沟通、提高认识以及社区动员以采取干预措施，包括遵守控制疫情的标准操作程序。
地方政府层面的新冠肺炎特别工作组为应对疫情提供了支持。在应对全国未来的疫情时，可以加强并利用这些特别工作组。
