Project Example

Village Health Team Handbook

Village Health Teams (VHTs) were established by the Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH) to: empower communities to take part in the decisions that affect their health; mobilize communities for health programs; and strengthen the delivery of health services at the household level. Village Health Teams are made up of volunteers who are selected by their communities to provide accurate health information and link community members with available health services. After selection, VHTs receive basic training in a cross section of key health issues common in Uganda.

The VHT team:

  • Mobilizes the community for health action
  • Promotes health to prevent disease
  • Treats simple illness at home
  • Checks for danger signs in the community
  • Reports and refers community sickness to health workers
  • Keeps village records up to date

Source: Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs

Date of Publication: March 25, 2019