How Community-Led Monitoring is making Itojo Hospital work for everyone
Patients at Itojo Hospital now have a say in how care is delivered, thanks to community monitors like Charles Tumwiine.
Charles Tumwiine visited Itojo Hospital seeking healthcare like many others. As a person living with a physical disability, he often faced long waiting hours, communication barriers, and facilities that were not fully accessible. That routine visit became the start of a transformative journey.
Through the Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) initiative implemented by SDU, Tumwiine was selected as a community monitor. His role: collect patient feedback and present it to hospital leadership, ensuring the voices of patients — especially persons with disabilities — are heard and acted upon.
Patients raised concerns ranging from poor sanitation and long waiting hours to negative attitudes of some health workers. As a result: better reception for patients, more responsive staff, improved hygiene, and suggestion boxes for confidential feedback.
The initiative has driven significant infrastructure improvements. Today, Itojo Hospital has a fully functional surgical theatre, new buildings with ramps for accessibility, and support rails in washrooms. CLM has directly reached more than 10,000 beneficiaries.
"Today, patients are being heard, and services are gradually improving." — Charles Tumwiine, CLM Monitor