The Role of Community-Based Interventions in Hypertension Management in Uganda: Grassroots Health Initiatives

Hypertension, a significant public health challenge in Uganda, continues to rise, particularly in rural and underserved communities, due to factors such as limited healthcare access, urbanization, and inadequate awareness. Community-based interventions (CBIs) have emerged as a critical strategy to address this issue by leveraging local resources and structures to enhance hypertension management, raise awareness, and promote early detection. These interventions involve health education, screening programs, treatment adherence support, and advocacy efforts, all driven by community health workers (CHWs) and local leaders. Successful models, such as the Village Health Team (VHT) program and mobile health clinics, have demonstrated the effectiveness of grassroots initiatives in overcoming barriers to healthcare access and improving health outcomes. Despite challenges such as funding limitations and cultural barriers, the integration of CBIs into Uganda’s broader healthcare system holds great potential for reducing the burden of hypertension. This review examines the role of CBIs in hypertension management, highlighting their successes, challenges, and future directions for strengthening and scaling up these initiatives in Uganda. Keywords: Hypertension, community-based interventions, Uganda, non-communicable diseases, community health workers.