Project Description
Pesticide Use Health and Environment Project (PHE Project) With support from Dialogos/ ICOEPH, UNACOH has implemented the PHE Uganda
project since 2010. In October 2017, the project has expanded into a phase III from Wakiso and Pallisa districts to 20 districts in Uganda (i.e. 5
districts from each region) namely; Northern Region; Adjumani, Apac, Gulu, Kitgum & Nebbi. Eastern region; Budaka, Bugiri, Kumi, Pallisa &
Kapchorwa. Central region; Kiboga, Kayunga, Rakai, Ssembabule & Wakiso and Western region; Bushenyi, Kibale, Kamwenge, Masindi &
Ntungamo. The Project aims at promoting safer use of pesticides by handlers such as farmers, Agro-input Dealers and improving diagnosis and
management of pesticide poisoning illnesses by health care workers with a purpose of reducing cases of pesticides poisoning. From the
previous phase I & II, the project has benefited Public Health Spray men (Fumigators), Agro-input dealers, Flower farm employees, VHTs (Village
Health Team Members), Primary School children, Health Care workers, Health Inspectors & Health Assistants and farmers through knowledge sharing.
The world, Uganda inclusive, is challenged to produce more food for the ever-increasing population, as well as protect agricultural populations
from harmful effects of agricultural pesticides. The Pesticides Use, Health and Environment (PHE) Project Phase III (2017-2020), will be focusing
mainly on gathering existing and generating new knowledge for dissemination to raise knowledge nationally and globally on reducing the
negative effects of pesticides to health and environment while advocating for a national mainstreaming of sound pesticide management and
prevention of poisonings by different CSOs, Private and Public stakeholders.aims at increasing awareness on safe use of pesticides in the above
mentioned 20 districts.
The project in its previous phases I & II has identified, trained and monitored clinical workers at health center IIIs and above (where pesticide
poisoning cases have been collected and a poisoning data base for the two district Wakiso and Pallisa has been created), health inspector,
agricultural extension workers, teachers, Agro-input dealers, flower farm employees, public health spray men, farmers and VHTs. These guided
community level project implementations.
At district level, the project promotes a functional multi-sector, multi-disciplinary District Pesticides Committee (DPC) and is engaging in district
council meetings aiming at lobbying for safety policy influence and implementation to fulfill the goal of preventing pesticides poisoning
nationally.
national level there is an inter-sector Project Steering Committee (PSC) comprising of representatives from Ministry of Health, Ministry of
Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, Makerere University School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences, among other stakeholders.
The PSC promotes a national pesticides safety agenda, including lobbying for a National Pesticides Centre (information, training, research,
treatment) and mainstreaming pesticide poisoning into the national HMIS.