Located in the heart of Kampala, Katanga is one of the city’s largest informal settlements, stretching approximately 1.5 kilometres. Katanga is bordered by Mulago Hospital, Uganda’s largest referral hospital, and Makerere University, the country’s oldest and most prestigious institution of higher learning. Despite being surrounded by centres of education and healthcare, Katanga faces serious challenges, especially when it comes to health access and education.
Many residents of Katanga rely on buying medicine directly from drug shops or pharmacies without proper guidance, because seeing a doctor is expensive or inconvenient. This has led to widespread misuse of antibiotics, which contributes to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing health threat in Uganda and beyond. A study by J. Leeuwen et al. (2017) revealed that nearly 30% either tried and failed or could not access medical services at all, highlighting a serious gap in healthcare access that fuels self-medication and over-the-counter drug use.
Meet Mama Fahad, a 27-year-old mother of three who has lived in Katanga for the past 15 years. She runs a small local bar, a business that helps her feed and educate her children. Her formal education ended in primary school, and like many in Katanga, she navigates life with resilience but limited access to reliable health information. (Mama Fahad preferred not to be photographed, which is why no image of her appears in this blog.) Mama Fahad’s story is not unique. Katanga is home to thousands like her – hardworking, resourceful, and deeply rooted in their community, yet often excluded from formal health messaging due to low literacy levels and language barriers.
Recognising this gap, CAMO-Net Uganda, in collaboration with Watoto Church, organised a medical camp on Saturday 19 July 2025. This is in alignment with CAMO-net Uganda hub’s Quad-Stakeholder PPIE Strategy (Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement). This model ensures a cohesive AMR response by synchronizing the efforts of policymakers, academic researchers, and various government ministries with the essential ‘first line’ of the community, including community memebers, local leaders and Village Health Teams. The initiative brought together partners including UMC, Diet Aid, Abbott, Pan Dental and others, offering services ranging from dietary guidance to medical consultations. What set this camp apart was its approach to health education.
Through dance, drama and skits, performed in Luganda, the local language spoken by most Katanga residents, the CAMO-Net Uganda team engaged the community in conversations about antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
“We didn’t know that using medicine without a doctor’s advice could make it stop working,” Mama Fahad said after watching one of the skits. “The play showed us how we are harming ourselves without knowing. Now I will tell my neighbours too.”
Her words reflect a profound truth: health education must speak the language of the people. In communities like Katanga, where formal education is limited and scientific jargon feels foreign, culturally relevant storytelling becomes a way to make knowledge accessible, memorable and actionable. Residents did not just watch a performance – they saw themselves in the stories, understood the risks, and left empowered to make healthier choices.
As the sun set over Katanga, the echoes of laughter, learning and healing lingered. The camp was a reminder that health equity begins with empathy, collaboration and communication that truly connects.
