USAID SBCA, in collaboration with the Tooro Emergency Operations Center (EOC), supported the
Kasese District Task Force (DTF) in proactively addressing the Mpox outbreak in the region. As part of
the response, SBCA assisted the DTF in mapping key influencers, including political, business, media, and
cultural leaders, recognizing their significant influence within the community. Special emphasis was placed on cultural leaders, acknowledging that traditional values can impact epidemic control efforts. Studies have shown that cultural beliefs can create substantial challenges for health practitioners in managing outbreaks.
In September 2024, the district invited officials from the Rwenzururu Kingdom (Obusinga Bwa
Rwenzururu or OBR) for a formal orientation on Mpox. The kingdom’s delegation, led by the
Honorable Dr. Baseka Yusuf, Minister of Health, included several key officials such as Hon. Thembo
Julius, Minister of Culture; Hon. Bakoko Best Juliet, Minister of Gender; Hon. Biira Lydia, Deputy
Minister of Gender; Hon. Geoffrey Kangonyo, Minister of Information; Kule Joward, an OBR technician,
and three others.
Senior Health Educator Agnes Mbambu, supported by the Regional EOC and the Ministry of Health
(MoH), led the DTF’s Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) team in delivering a
presentation on global health security. They provided detailed information on zoonotic diseases,
focusing on Mpox, its transmission, and prevention, and distributed 500 Mpox brochures and flyers in
the Lukhonzo language.
The OBR representatives enthusiastically embraced the health messages and committed to disseminating
the information throughout the kingdom, utilizing their extensive network of chieftains and heads of
ridges. Hon. Baseka Yusuf assured that the kingdom would engage its media platforms to broadcast
Mpox information, while Hon. Bakoko Best Juliet highlighted the role of women and mothers in
spreading crucial health messages. She committed to leveraging various gender structures to ensure the
messages reached women effectively. The representatives also pledged to work with traditional healers
to encourage the referral of suspected Mpox cases to medical facilities, thereby integrating traditional
practices with modern healthcare.
Following the orientation, the OBR representatives briefed King Charles Wesley Mumbere Igeno
Ngoma I, who expressed his commitment to raising Mpox awareness among his subjects. This
partnership marked a significant boost for the Mpox awareness campaign, as the King’s involvement
promises to reach over one million Bakhonzo people across Kasese, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko, Bunyangabu,
and parts of Kabarole in the Rwenzori region.
The DTF’s collaboration with the Rwenzururu Kingdom underscores the crucial role of cultural
leadership in public health efforts. By working closely with OBR, the Tooro EOC and DTF are fostering
a united and informed community, prepared to combat the Mpox outbreak and protect the health of
residents in the Rwenzori region.