Working Together for Health.

NCC’s Efforts to Support Ndegeya’s Communities

In the heart of Ndegeya, the NCC Clinic continues to serve surrounding rural communities, committed to ensuring access to quality healthcare. Over the past year, the clinic’s work has focused on one of the area’s growing public health challenges—the rising burden of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, which now account for a significant proportion of deaths in local villages.

The Challenge of Isolation and Neglect

In many parts of Ndegeya, elderly residents live in isolation—often neglected, unable to reach health facilities, and without regular contact with healthcare workers. As a result, diagnoses are delayed and preventable complications such as stroke and heart disease are becoming increasingly common. This reality underscores the urgent need for community-based health approaches that bring care directly to people’s homes.

Home Visits and Health Promotion

Together with trained VHTs, NCC continues to bring care directly into people’s homes. Home visits include blood pressure monitoring, health education on disease prevention, medication delivery, and—where affordable—random blood sugar testing. For many households, these visits are the only consistent contact they have with healthcare providers.

This initiative is supported by the local council leadership, whose active involvement has strengthened community trust and coordination. In Kyaali village alone, the nurse Michael —working closely with the local council leader—has already visited 25 families, providing vital health checks and advice.

However, challenges persist. Many residents cannot afford their prescribed medications, while others seek help for conditions beyond the program’s current scope. VHTs—volunteers who balance these duties with their own livelihoods—play an essential yet under-supported role in meeting these demands.

Building a Culture of Prevention

The experience in Ndegeya highlights a vital lesson: long-lasting health begins with prevention at the community level. Regular screenings, conversations about nutrition and exercise, and guidance on treatment adherence can prevent disease before it becomes severe.

NCC remains committed to strengthening training, building trust in community health systems, and supporting the volunteers at the heart of this work. Together, we can ensure that every community member—especially the elderly and those living alone—has a fair chance at a healthier, longer life.