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METS Newsletter February 2023

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The Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Support (METS) Program is a 5-year CDC-supported collaboration of Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and Health Information Systems Program (HISP Uganda).

Highlights of the METS February 2023 Newsletter

  • Roll-out of ‘UgandaEMR Mobile’ Application to TASO-Supported Facilities
    • UgandaEMR is currently operational at over 1900 ART facilities countrywide and facilitates HIV /AIDS data capture at various service delivery points at the health facility either in real-time or retrospectively.
    • Between 16th and 20th January 2023, METS embarked on supporting the rollout of the UgandaEMR Mobile App to several TASO-supported health facilities in the districts of Gulu, Mbarara, and Masaka.
  • Supporting Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Functionality at Regional Referral Hospitals (RRHs)
    • In January 2023, two Regional Referral Hospitals – Mubende and Soroti experienced challenges in management of their electronic data. As a result, the hospitals were unable to prepare routine program reports. The Ministry of Health established that the problem was due to non-functional servers and requested METS to intervene.
    • With funding from PEPFAR, METS was able to procure new servers to support the functionality of UgandaEMR in the ART clinics at the two hospitals. The METS support team spent three days providing technical assistance in installing Operations Systems (Windows Server OS), UgandaEMR System, and migrating data from the old servers.
  • Improving Services to Orphans and other Vulnerable Children
    • In November 2022, the METS team working together with Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development, USAID’s Strategic Information Technical Support (SITES) and other stakeholders conducted a follow-on Orphans and other Vulnerable Children (OVC) program service quality assessment to assess satisfaction among the beneficiaries of the program services provided between October 2021 and March 2022.
    • Overall, the assessment revealed that the quality of OVC service offered in the Rwenzori region was adequate and met expectations at 86% on average under the sections of Economic Strengthening & Stability, Education & Development, Care & Protection and Survival and Health.
  • Site-readiness Assessment for Safe Male Circumcision (SMC)
    • METS in collaboration with the three new Implementing Partners (Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau, Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau and Kampala Capital City Authority) conducted an inter-agency service quality assessment for SMC site readiness at 13 supported sites.
    • Four sites obtained low scores (below 60%) mainly due to suboptimal availability of key items for the SMC services indicating a low level of readiness. Four sites had a high score (at least 90%) indicating a high level of readiness. The remaining 5 sites had acceptable level of readiness (60-89%) for SMC service provision with minimal need for improvement. Only 46% of the sites had the required information, education and communication materials.
  • Distribution of HIS Hardware equipment
    • Over the last 3 years PEPFAR, through the METS program, has procured computer and networking equipment for distribution to health facilities. This equipment is intended to support the Ministry of Health digitization project, improve electronic medical (EMR) coverage, and accelerate the implementation of Point of Care (PoC).
    • This has been a phased process that began in January 2022 with distribution to over 600 health facilities. The current distribution phase is data capture devices which include mini servers, desktops, laptops, tablets, and fingerprint scanners to 26 implementing partners across the country.
  • Pictorial: PEPFAR Partners and Stakeholders Strategy Meeting
    • METS was part of a meeting held on 22-23 February 2023 at Mestil Hotel to review partners’ progress and discuss the strategy of 95% of all people living with HIV knowing their status, 95% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection receiving antiretroviral treatment, and 95% of all people receiving treatment having viral suppression by 2030.
  • PEPFAR Science Summit
    • METS was part of the annual PEPFAR Science Summit, a U.S. Uganda Mission-led platform that brings together U.S. government researchers and scholars and partners (IPs) in Uganda to share new scientific research to inform the implementation of HIV and TB programs and related policies.
    • METS made two presentations on Measurement of Regional Referral Hospitals Health Systems Capacity: Application of Progression Model by Dr. Simon Muhumuza and Improving the Quality of Cervical Cancer Services in Uganda: Onsite Mentorship and Coaching Approach by Connie Ninisiima
  • Regional Referral Hospital Performance Review Meetings
    • METS provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Health (MoH) during a Joint Technical Supportive Supervision and Performance Review exercise for 9 Regional Referral Hospitals (RRH) across the country from February 20-24, 2023.
    • The exercise was an opportunity to assess how far along the facilities were implementing their work plans, review their performance targets as well as identifying implementation challenges of the RRH mechanism that was introduced by MoH.
  • Key Population and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (KP/PrEP) Tracker training
    • The Peace Corps requested METS to support its partners to conduct KP tracker training and an orientation on data collecting tools for community outreaches. Key populations are defined groups who, due to specific higher-risk behaviors, are at increased risk of HIV.

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Job Opportunity at MakSBSREC: Assistant Administrative Officer

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The Davies Lecture Theatre (Right), School of Biomedical Sciences (Blue) and other buildings at the College of Health Sciences (CHS), Mulago Campus, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University is pleased to announce a vacancy for the position of Assistant Administrative Officer (REC Administrator) within the School of Biomedical Sciences Research Ethics Committee (MakSBSREC). This is an excellent opportunity for qualified individuals to contribute to the ethical oversight of research involving human participants.

Position Details:

  • Job Title: Assistant Administrative Officer (REC Administrator) – MakSBSREC
  • Reports to: Chairperson MakSBSREC
  • Engagement: Full-time
  • Duration: 1 Year, renewable upon satisfactory performance
  • Duty Station: Kampala

Qualifications, Desired Skills, and Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and Humanities, Medicine and Surgery, Ethics and Human Rights, or any related field.
  • Master’s degree in Bioethics (an added advantage).
  • Up-to-date training in Human Subject Protection or Good Clinical Practice.
  • Proficiency in English (both spoken and written).
  • Prior experience in regulatory work in research studies or projects.
  • Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and meet deadlines.

How to Apply:

Qualified and interested candidates are invited to submit a soft copy of their application documents and a motivation letter to deansbs.chs@mak.ac.ug with the subject line “Application for the position of Assistant Administrative Officer (REC Administrator)”. Address your application to the Dean, School of Biomedical Sciences.

Deadline for submission: July 2, 2024, by 5:00 pm Ugandan time.

Please provide a reliable 24-hour phone contact. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.

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Call For Abstracts: 18th Joint Annual Scientific Health Conference (JASHC) 2024

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Call For Abstracts: 18th Joint Annual Scientific Health Conference (JASHC), the 30th UNACOH Conference, the 22nd Mathew Lukwiya Lecture scheduled to take place from 16th - 18th October 2024, at Hotel Africana, Kampala, Uganda, East Africa.

The Makerere University College of Health Sciences  (MakCHS) in conjunction with the Uganda National Association for Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH) announces the 18th Joint Annual Scientific Health Conference (JASHC)the 30th UNACOH Conference, the 22nd Mathew Lukwiya Lecture scheduled to take place from 16th  – 18th October 2024, at Hotel Africana, Kampala – Uganda.

Conference Theme: Global Health Security: Partnerships for Epidemic Response and Control in Sub-Saharan Africa 

Researchers, health workers, policymakers, students, and public/civil society members are invited to submit abstracts.

Deadline for submission of Abstracts: August 15th 2024

See the Downloads for more information

For more information contact Conference Secretariat:
Makerere University College of Health Sciences, 
1st Floor, Pathology Building, 
School of Biomedical Sciences, Dean’s Office, 
P.O. Box 7072 Kampala, Uganda. 
Email: jashc2024@gmail.com 
Website: https://chs.mak.ac.ug/jash2024 
Tel: +256784574544/+256759287297

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METS Newsletter May 2024

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The newly appointed CDC Uganda Country Director, Dr. Adetinuke Mary Boyd (7th from left) met with country implementing partner Executive Directors to get insights on ongoing projects, discussed leveraging of partnerships as well as strategizing for how best to strengthen health systems. Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI)-McKinnell Knowledge Centre, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Support (METS) Program is a 5-year CDC-supported collaboration of Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and Health Information Systems Program (HISP Uganda).

Highlights of the METS May 2024 Newsletter

  • Enhancing Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
    • Responding to and preventing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Violence Against Children (VAC) are critical components of Uganda’s national HIV prevention program. METS developed a new app designed to improve support for SGBV survivors. This followed an assessment in December 2022, that revealed gaps in service access and coordination in Fort Portal and Kampala Regions.
    • The METS team, in collaboration with regional implementing partners, is scaling up the app’s use in pilot districts such as Masaka, Kiryandongo, Fort Portal, and Mubende. The team visited facilities and police stations to install the app and train selected focal persons on its use.
  • Assessing Readiness for Integrated HIV and NCD Care Services
    • METS supported the Ministry of Health to conduct a site readiness assessment for integrated delivery of HIV and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) services from 22nd to 26th April 2024, in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and various implementing partners. The activity was conducted in selected health facilities in Acholi, Mubende, Kayunga, and Rwenzori regions to determine their feasibility for participating in a comprehensive NCD evaluation.
    • The 48 facilities visited have already integrated NCD services (mental Health, diabetes, and hypertension). Of these, 78% have integrated mental health services in their PMTCT clinics. 40% of the facilities have a dedicated NCD services physicians /doctor in the ART Clinic, 29% have doc have dedicated physicians in the PMTCT clinics. 90%. Most of the facilities have clinical and nurses in the ART than PMTCT facilities but more nurses offering NCD services in PMTCT sites.
  • Digitalizing the health sector through strategic partnerships
    • In collaboration with CDC and METS, the MoH organized a national Electronic Medical Records (EMR) stakeholders meeting to orient stakeholders on the national EMR agenda and transition towards a comprehensive digital health facility package. Key actions discussed included expanding the rollout of the EMR and Community Health Information System (eCHIS) and urging development partners to support prioritized health information and digital health investments.
    • The introduction of electronic medical records (EMRs) in health facilities aims to improve the quality of health service delivery by providing real-time accountability transparency, and traceability of medical supplies, monitoring health worker absenteeism, enhancing patient satisfaction through efficient care provision, reducing unnecessary or duplicate diagnostic tests, and offering easy access to management reports for decision-making. Additionally, EMRs will lay the foundation for the implementation of national health insurance.
  • UgandaEMR+ Implementation Showcased at Kisenyi HCIV
    • METS and Reach Out Mbuya (ROM) showcased the implementation of UgandaEMR+ to representatives from the USG and the Ministry of Health (MoH) at Kisenyi HCIV. The visit was aimed at providing a clear understanding of the system’s functionality at the health facility, which serves over 1,200 outpatients daily and supports over 1600 clients on ART.
    • Dr. Peter Akonyera, the ART Clinic In Charge shared positive end-user experiences, noting simplified data use and analysis, efficient data retrieval, and the system’s popularity among users despite existing challenges. He appreciated METS’ support in maintaining system synchronization. The data visualization tools have been particularly useful for clinicians to manage patient schedules and workload distribution effectively, ensuring timely and efficient healthcare delivery.
  • METS Showcases Research at INTEREST 2024 Conference in Benin
    • The International Conference on HIV Treatment, Pathogenesis, and Prevention Research (INTEREST) brought together global scientists to share cutting-edge knowledge in HIV diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The conference also aimed to build a community of African physicians and scientists to develop local solutions for managing HIV and preventing its transmission.
    • METS submitted an abstract titled “Enhancing HIV Case Identification through a National HIV Testing Services (HTS) Continuous Quality Improvement” based on support to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in designing, implementing, and evaluating initiatives to increase the identification of HIV-positive clients, crucial for achieving the global target of 95% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) knowing their status.
  • Gallery
    • New CDC Director meets Country implementing partner Executive Directors
    • UgandaEMR+ support supervision at Kisenyi HCIV visit
    • EMR Stakeholders meeting
    • CBS guidelines meeting
    • INTEREST 2024 conference – Benin
    • Key Populations assessment – Ishaka district

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