Kisubi Associated Writers Agency (KAWA) is pleased to announce the establishment of the KAWA e-Health Connect Program, a new initiative designed to accelerate digital transformation in Faith-Based health facilities across Uganda through practical ICT training, mentorship, and ongoing technical support. This marks an important expansion of KAWA’s work beyond education, as the organisation applies the same proven approach that has successfully empowered schools through KAWA CONNECT, an offline-first digital learning platform, to strengthen service delivery in the health sector and improve the use of digital tools in day-to-day healthcare operations.
Over the years, KAWA has supported schools across the country by deploying KAWA CONNECT and complementing it with structured digital literacy training, regular mentorship, and field-based technical support. This model has demonstrated that when institutions are equipped with the right tools, skills, and follow-up mechanisms, digital solutions can lead to sustainable improvements in performance and service delivery. Building on this strong foundation, KAWA is now establishing a dedicated Digital Health & ICT Support Department to implement the Health Connect Outreach Program and extend similar capacity-building support to health centres, particularly those run by Faith-Based institutions that provide essential services to both rural and urban communities.
Despite the existence of supportive national policies and recent investments in ICT infrastructure, many Faith-Based health facilities still struggle to fully benefit from digital systems. Digital literacy gaps remain common among healthcare workers, limiting their ability to confidently operate computers, utilise health information systems, and adopt emerging digital health tools such as telemedicine platforms. This skills challenge reduces the impact of ICT infrastructure that has already been deployed in some facilities, leaving valuable resources underutilised. In many cases, computers, connectivity, and basic network systems may be available, but they are not used effectively because of inadequate training, limited hands-on exposure, and insufficient ongoing technical support to help staff build confidence and integrate technology into routine work.
In addition, service delivery practices in several facilities remain fragmented, with paper-based records continuing to run alongside digital systems. This dual approach creates inefficiencies, increases administrative workload, leads to inconsistencies in data, and delays access to critical information required for timely clinical and managerial decision-making. At the same time, data security and regulatory compliance risks remain high due to limited awareness of cybersecurity principles, data protection requirements, and safe digital practices. Without improved understanding and consistent application of digital safety standards, patient information can be exposed to preventable risks, undermining confidentiality and potentially contravening applicable privacy and data protection obligations.
Sustainability remains another major challenge in many facilities, as institutional capacity for system maintenance, user support, continuous skills upgrading, and long-term integration of digital tools is often limited. Without structured mentorship, peer support mechanisms, and ongoing technical backstopping, digital health initiatives may weaken over time or fail to achieve long-lasting results. It is in response to these realities that KAWA is establishing the Digital Health & ICT Support Department, which will lead the implementation of the KAWA Health Connect Outreach Program using KAWA’s strengths in offline-first deployment, contextualised training models, practical mentorship approaches, and continuous technical support.
Through this initiative, KAWA aims to strengthen the digital capacity of Faith-Based health facilities by delivering targeted ICT training, supporting the integration of digital systems into clinical and administrative workflows, and promoting sustainable adoption of digital health solutions that improve efficiency and data quality. The project’s overall goal is to strengthen the effective use of ICT and digital tools in Faith-Based health facilities, leading to improved healthcare service delivery and operational efficiency. Specifically, the program will focus on enhancing the digital literacy and ICT competencies of healthcare workers so that they are able to apply digital tools to improve record keeping, reporting accuracy, communication, information security, and service delivery outcomes within their facilities.
A key feature of the program will also be the establishment of a dedicated online hub that will serve as a platform for sharing research, training resources, implementation tools, best practices, and facility success stories. This website will promote continuous learning, strengthen knowledge sharing across supported facilities, and position KAWA as a thought leader in practical, sustainable digital health transformation. The Health Connect Outreach Program will be implemented by a team of young, multidisciplinary medical and ICT professionals who will provide hands-on training, mentorship, and field-based support to ensure that digital skills are not only learned but applied in real working environments.
As KAWA launches this new outreach program, the organisation welcomes collaboration with Faith-Based health networks, government agencies, donors, and other partners who are committed to strengthening healthcare systems through sustainable ICT capacity building. The KAWA Health Connect Outreach Program is more than a project; it is a long-term commitment to ensuring that healthcare workers across Uganda are empowered with the skills, tools, and support systems they need to deliver safer, faster, and more effective healthcare services in a rapidly evolving digital world.
