GCRF_NF138: Uptake of Public Health Practices for Prevention of COVID-19 among Refugees, Pastoralist Communities, Truck Drivers, Slum Dwellers: Uganda

How can the uptake and acceptance of health guidelines regarding COVID-19 be improved among 'hard-to-reach' communities in Uganda, specifically among refugees, pastoralist communities, truck drivers and urban slum dwellers? Specifically, the project will consider how guidelines can be made more compatible with local cultural practices, and practical and economic constraints, and whether this indeed improves the distribution and uptake of information. Since in many communities women are central to preventive activities, the project pays specific attention to the gendered aspects of the distribution, communication and uptake of health guidelines. It further considers how trust in health organisations can be improved by means of including local community organisations in developing and implementing health guidelines. The main objectives are: 1) To establish how culture, information, attitudes and practices unique to targeted communities influence the risk of COVID-19 transmission. 2) To promote culturally sensitive radio and mobile phone communication to enhance awareness of the COVID-19 prevention; specifically, the relevance and the importance of community engagement and local solutions. 3) To examine the role of trust in health organisation with the aim to build local community capacity to respond to pandemics, and to gather local evidence that can inform health policy and humanitarian response.