By KT Reporter
Providers of family planning services in health facilities that serve refugees are appealing for interpreters, saying language barriers are undermining the quality of care and limiting refugees’ ability to make informed contraceptive choices.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ dialogue convened by Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) to address sexual and reproductive health in Uganda’s refugee contexts, Maria Goretti Kemirembe, a Family Planning Coach at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), said health workers often struggle to communicate with their clients.
She cited Kisenyi Health Centre IV, one of the busiest public health facilities in Kampala, which serves an estimated 40,000 refugees annually, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, and South Sudan.
Kemirembe explained that with only one interpreter at the facility, communication becomes nearly impossible whenever he is absent. In such cases, health workers resort to using gestures or guesswork to understand their clients, which often leads to incomplete medical histories and misunderstandings about contraceptive options.
Kemirembe spoke shortly after researchers presented findings from several studies conducted in refugee-hosting areas, which highlighted persistent barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services and support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
According to the findings, language barriers and limited awareness of where to seek care remain the biggest challenges, even though refugees are entitled to use the same health facilities as members of host communities.
Robert Andeoye, the Settlement Commandant for refugee settlements in Adjumani District, said the research data would guide planners to prioritise interventions in the most affected areas, especially at a time when donor funding for refugee programs is declining. He says the biggest challenges in refugee settlements are faced by women more than men, citing the need for more awareness to address sexual and reproductive rights abuses.
Adding to the discussion, Lucia Santolaria, a Programmes Officer with Farmamundi, a Spanish NGO providing health and humanitarian support in Kampala, Kyaka, and Adjumani refugee settlements, said they are currently conducting a needs assessment to identify critical service gaps.
She noted that while the organisation already provides mental health support, sexual and gender-based violence prevention, and livelihood interventions, translation has so far relied on volunteers within the refugee communities.
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