MINISTER WANTS RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO INCLUDE HEALTH MESSAGES IN SERMONS

Minister Baryomunsi interacting with some health officials from Kigezi region

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Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi says he is writing to the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda to compel religious leaders to incorporate health messages into their sermons and prayers.

Baryomunsi made the remarks while opening the fourth edition of the Kigezi Health Sector Joint Performance Review Mission at Volcano Hotel in Rubanda District. The two-day review mission is assessing the performance of the health sector during the 2025/2026 financial year and developing action plans to improve healthcare delivery across the Kigezi sub-region.

The meeting provides a platform for districts to share best practices, identify challenges affecting healthcare delivery and advocate for additional resources for the health sector.

Baryomunsi expressed concern over Uganda’s increasing disease burden, saying that about 75 per cent of diseases affecting Ugandans are preventable. He said communicable diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea, typhoid and Ebola can be prevented through improved hygiene and other preventive measures.

The minister added that non-communicable diseases, including high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer, as well as injuries resulting from road traffic accidents, can also be reduced through responsible personal health practices.

Baryomunsi said religious leaders have traditionally used their pulpits to preach the Gospel and guide their congregations but have often paid less attention to the health challenges affecting the same communities.

He said religious leaders should not only encourage their congregations to prepare for eternal life but should also help those live healthier lives on earth. Baryomunsi said requiring religious leaders to include health messages in their sermons would complement government efforts to sensitise the public about disease prevention.

The minister also criticised the way government-funded airtime on radio stations is being used, saying some district leaders, including Resident District Commissioners, have turned programmes intended for public health sensitisation into political talk shows. He urged local leaders to use the airtime for its intended purpose by educating communities about disease prevention and other public health concerns.

Dr Gilbert Mateeka, the Kabale District Health Officer, and Dr Anne Marion Namutebi, the  Senior Executive Consultant at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, acknowledged that cases of non-communicable diseases are high in the Kigezi sub-region.

Sheikh Mohammad Buyungu Katwigyi, the Rubanda County Sheikh, welcomed Baryomunsi’s proposal, saying unhealthy eating habits and the production and consumption of illicit alcoholic drinks are contributing to the rising disease burden in Uganda.

Buyungu said health messages have previously been incorporated into Muslim religious teachings and that formalising the initiative across all faiths would help improve public health.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis