'Viral' Health Awareness videos in Luganda a must watch!

By Esther Nakkazi

I am part of the Health Information for All (HIFA) dgroup, which has some
real good information on health. Today, Medical Aid Films posted cool
videos that promote good health I think all Ugandans should watch.

Increasingly, it could be that short videos watched on mobile phones
will be used to improve health awareness and literacy among the public
in Africa. For instance in Burkina Faso, a project Funded by a
Grand Challenges Exploration grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation, promotes maternal and child health
using short entertaining films that can be watched on mobile phones.

The project taps into this trend by creating ‘viral videos’ in local
languages that promote positive maternal and child health behaviours.
Each of the films delivers a specific message, such as the benefits
of hand washing, and the promotion of treatment-seeking for
diseases such as malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea.

In Uganda, there are eight new films in Luganda for use by
community health workers that can be used to build awareness
around nutrition,warning signs in pregnancy, newborn care
and other essential topics in maternal and child health.

Medical Aid Films worked in partnership with the Royal College of
Paediatrics and Child Health, who run health worker training and
community education projects in Uganda to produce the films.

The films are now available to watch and download for free from
the website just follow the links below. If you have any feedback
about these films ­ please email helen@meddicalaidfilms.org.

Emere yo obulamu: Abakyala abali embuto kyebetaga occult
(Food for Life: What Pregnant Women Need to Eat)
http://medicalaidfilms.org/our-films/films-in-luganda/?v=125022187

Emere yo obulamu: Okuyonsa
(Food for Life: Breastfeeding)
http://medicalaidfilms.org/our-films/films-in-luganda/?v=125021454

Emere yo obulamu: Kiki na di lwo liisa omwanawo
(Food for Life: What and When to Feed Your Child)
http://medicalaidfilms.org/our-films/films-in-luganda/?v=125021453

Obuboneero bwo obubenje nga omukyala alilubuuto
(Warning Signs in Pregnancy)
http://medicalaidfilms.org/our-films/films-in-luganda/?v=125021452

Engeri yokulabirira ebujje; (How to care for a newborn)
http://medicalaidfilms.org/our-films/films-in-luganda/?v=125021451

Okumanya Obuboneero bwa kafuuba; ekidukano Nâ Omusujja
(Is your child sick? Identifying signs of pneumonia, malaria and diarrhoea)
http://medicalaidfilms.org/our-films/films-in-luganda/?v=125021450

Manya omubiri gwo: Engeri yo kwetegekera olubuto
(How to plan a pregnancy)
http://medicalaidfilms.org/our-films/films-in-luganda/?v=125021345

Okulabirira Nakawere Okwenjawuulo
(Focused Antenatal Care)
http://medicalaidfilms.org/our-films/films-in-luganda/?v=124984993

So it could be that more people in Africa could actually consume health information
on short videos watched on mobile phones, we are counting of course on mobile penetration
and cheap data to make this happen.