Overview: Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation-Uganda (BU) is partnering with the Uganda Key Population Consortium (UKPC), an advocacy and coordination platform for key population (KP)-led organizations, to illustrate our combined expertise and capacity to accelerate and sustain HIV epidemic control in Fort Portal region (illustrative) and other regions (Kampala, Soroti, Mubende). For the last 13 years, BU has excelled implementing integrated HIV/TB/Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD)/health emergence programs in these regions. Key successes in Fort Portal include: 43% HIV case identification through Index testing, 100% linkage to ART, >100% TB case notification, <2% mother-to-child HIV transmission, serving >20,000 KPs, 100% electronic medical records coverage, and 100% lab hub accreditation. BU will lead Technical Assistance (TA) for health and community systems strengthening, while UKPC will coordinate and build KP-led organizations’ capacity for equitable health care to KP/PPs.
Project Purpose: To achieve and sustain HIV epidemic control, reduced TB incidence, lower rates of HIV/TB-related mortality/morbidity, and increase early detection, prevention, and control of Public Health (PH) threats; achieve the 95-95-95 UNAIDS targets through improved and resilient healthcare systems and sustained GoU capacity to plan, implement and monitor high-quality programs to address HIV/TB and other PH threats.
Approach: Building on PEPFAR-supported gains in Fort Portal region, we propose sustainable strategies in line with National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan 2021-2025, UNAIDS Global Health Strategy 2021-2026, PEPFAR 3.0’s agenda and the “5 pillars by 3 enablers” PEPFAR strategy to end HIV by 2030. We will: promote health equity, investing in high-impact people-centered interventions for the underserved (children, adolescent girls, and young women, KPs, men); build Fort Portal regional referral hospital and districts capacity to integrate HIV programming for a GoU-led sustainable HIV response; accelerate HIV service integration into the public and private health system for efficiency; enhance districts’-led public-private partnership for affordable services; and conduct behavioural/implementation science to develop evidence-based interventions. These pillars will be enabled by effective community engagement, innovations from QI initiatives and institutionalized data use at all levels.
Project outcomes: 1) Sustained HIV epidemic control and reduced incidence of HIV/TB, NCD and AHD-related mortality and morbidity; 2) Reduced invasive cervical cancer in women living with HIV; 3) Sustained GoU capacity to plan, implement, and monitor high-quality HIV/TB programs; 4) Resilient healthcare system; 5) Increased prevention, early detection, and control of infectious disease outbreaks and other PH threats.
Team: A technically competent team with multi-regional PEPFAR programs experience includes: The Principal Investigator, Dr Dithan Kiragga (MSc, MPH), >20 years technical leadership and management of complex health programs in Uganda; Project Manager, Dr Michael Juma (PhD, MMed), >10 years managing large CDC/PEPFAR projects, including Fort Portal mechanism (2018-2023); Care and Treatment Manager, Dr. Ocokoru Christine (MMed), 10 years leading HIV/TB TA teams in Fort Portal region; HIV Prevention Manager, Dr. Proscovia Athieno (MPH), >15years’ implementing multi-district HIV/TB prevention programs; Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Manager, David Damba (Msc Biostat, PGD CS), >15 years’ M&E experience in large CDC/PEPFAR programs, evaluations and reporting; Health Systems Strengthening Director, Dr. Leticia Namale (MSc Epi, MBA), >15 years building health systems for sustainability; Business Official, David Mpagi (MBA, CPA), >15 years’ experience in PEPFAR grants management, regulations, compliance, and reporting. We will leverage virtual platforms for service delivery, skills transfer, and sustainability through 4 clusters.
