By Grace Amoding.
Soroti Regional Referral Hospital is rolling out a robust Public Health Emergency Management System to improve early detection, surveillance, and response to disease in Teso region.
Dr. Joseph Morris Enabu, Head of the Community Health Department at the hospital said on Tuesday 20 January 2026 during an interview that the system is designed to ensure timely, coordinated, and data-driven responses to emerging public health threats.
He said a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) at the hospital will be expanded and installed with digital monitoring screens to help in tracking disease trends at district, regional and national level, coordinate responses, and guide decision-making across the region.
“Public health emergency management is about surveillance, planning, and response. We continuously monitor disease patterns, compare them with set thresholds, and act immediately when those thresholds are exceeded,” Dr. Morris said.
He said the system will rely on the District Health Information System (DHIS2) where all health facilities report identified disease conditions to enable health authorities to detect unusual increase in cases and alert health teams that distinguish between expected disease levels and outbreaks.
He said when disease levels remain within normal limits, the system operates in a ‘watch mode’, focusing on surveillance, preparedness, training, and public awareness. Once alerts are confirmed, the response escalates to preparedness and full response phases, followed by de-escalation once the threat is contained.
“For example, tuberculosis is expected to affect about three people in a population of 200,000, any rise beyond that signals a public health concern requiring urgent intervention,” Dr Morris said.
He said the surveillance system operates from the community to the national level, with Village Health Teams and community members acting as the first line of detection. Suspected cases are reported to nearby health facilities, escalated to district authorities, and then consolidated at regional and national emergency centres.
“Lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic informed the decentralization of emergency response, allowing regional hospitals to act swiftly without waiting for directives from Kampala. During COVID, responses were centrally managed. Now, regions can detect and respond to threats immediately, which saves time and lives,” Dr. Morris noted.
With schools reopening, Dr. Morris warned of increased risks of measles and other contagious diseases, especially in congested environments.
He cited measles outbreaks recorded in at least five districts in Teso in 2025, where regional teams supported districts with response planning, contact tracing, and mass vaccination campaigns.
“These outbreaks mostly affect unvaccinated children. Vaccination remains the most effective protection,” he said.
Dr. Morris identified malaria as the leading disease burden in the region, followed by respiratory tract infections, which peak during dry seasons. He also raised concern over the rising cases of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, particularly among the elderly, attributing the trend to reduced physical activity and changing lifestyles.
Dr. Morris called on the public to actively support the system by reporting suspected health threats through the toll-free SMS line 6767, where alerts are verified and acted upon immediately.
He said the strengthened public health emergency management system will increase preparedness, protect communities, and reduce disease outbreaks across Teso region.
Oversight of the public health emergency system is provided by a Regional Steering Committee comprising Resident District Commissioners, district leaders, health and veterinary officers, security agencies, UPDF medical teams, hospital management, and implementing partners. The committee conducts multi-hazard risk assessments and develops seasonal calendars to anticipate disease outbreaks.
To ensure accountability and timely actions the system will have performance indicators to help development partners supporting health sector.
