The June 2nd, 2016 launch was targeting district level and community leaders in the four target Districts. District community development leaders, religious leaders, business stakeholders, Managers and Chairpersons of key SACCOs,SILC group leaders, volunteers, local council representatives were all invited to attend this meeting. The launch attracted representatives from all target districts and with majority from Sheema district being a host area. This was to ensure that leaders at all levels receive a message about CHI directly from program team and donor agency staff to motivate other community members about this initiatives for better health.

A number of topics were covered interlinked with CHI both community education and enrollment. The topics were carefully selected to enable participants gain more knowledge on health, socio economic empowerment and wealth creation. The chairman Board of Trustees for ICOBI requested the Executive Director to invite different speakers who included Dr. Kansiime Micheal from AFRISA Makerere University, the Sheema District Entomologist, Bbiira from CEDO Uganda who gave a presentation on socio-economic strengthening to increase CHI coverage, and Dr. Muranga who gave a presentation on banana production and value chain. These topics aimed to demonstrate successful income generation approaches that leaders can promote at household level in all communities. The linkage with the CHI Project was to ensure people in homes have income to pay their premiums for CHI schemes and for general welfare to minimize illnesses.,

 

The Project Capacity Building Officer, presented about CHI with emphasis on principles and benefits which community leaders should explain to the people. He also explained the health product under ICOCARE which members have been contributing for and the benefits and challenges faced with the anticipation of improved scheme performance especially if enrollment can be increased. Using local examples of burial groups, he noted the need for people to start saving for health as part of the regular group savings instead of only waiting for their members to die due to preventable and manageable cases which turn to be more costly than saving for health.

Dr. Stephen Asiimwe the ED ICOBI underscored the importance of Health insurance. He also gave history of how ICOBI has performed in the previous year and asked all stakeholders.

In her speech, M/s Joy Batusa the Deputy Chief of party Uganda Private Health Support Programme as Chief Guest gave a lecture on Community Health Insurance.

The community leaders were allowed to ask questions and get answers about all the day presentations and majority seemed to appreciate the health and wealth linkages being promoted under this project. Appreciation was given to UPHSP for good planning of a sustainable health intervention with a component of socio economic empowerment.