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In January 2023, Pilgrim Africa successfully and sustainably transitioned iCCM over to The Aids Support Organization (TASO) and the Communication for Development Foundation Uganda! (CDFU).
The transition focused on addressing these main areas of concern:
This session allowed for a successful handover allowing for continued quality care for patients.
As transition began, one activity remained as a conclusion to this program. That was the first monthly supervision of iCCM VHTs by health facility staff.
The largest part of the training and supervision focused on improving proper usage of Sick Child Job Aid (SCJA), case management of sick children, and the importance of identifying danger signs for referral by the Village Health Teams (VHTs) in their communities. Much emphasis was put on the importance of counseling caregivers on how to care for a newborn and for sick children at home by the VHTs and utilization of checklists for clinical sessions and notebooks.
A huge thank you to MPI, World Vision, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and all of you. Because of these collaborative efforts, all caretakers of children under 5 in Katakwi now have access to prompt, lifesaving diagnoses and treatments for malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia. Thank you for helping to end severe illness and death from malaria!
“For we are God’s co-workers;
you are God’s field, God’s building.”
1 Corinthians 3:9
VHT selection and supervisor training begins
Village Health Team (VHT) selection in Katawki District
VHTs are community volunteers, selected for being honest, trustworthy, and nonpolitical, and for local language skills. 1,100 VHTs were selected to cover 550 villages.
Training of trainers
The next step was to “train the trainers” (ToT). Facility-based health workers supervise VHTs performing iCCM and take referrals for urgent cases. 80 health workers from 20 sub- counties/town councils in Katakwi participated in the ToT, supervised and supported by 8 Master Trainers from Uganda’s MOH.
Health workers learned how to teach VHTs to use diagnostic kits and treatments:
Additionally, trainers learned to teach VHTs to refer children under 5 years with danger signs (such as vomiting, convulsions, unconsciousness, chest in-drawing, inability to drink or breast feed) to medical professionals, and to remind household members to sleep under nets, maintain good hygiene, and stay hydrated when ill.
During the training of VHTs, each trainer will lead a separate VHT training session for a group of 20-40 VHTs.
The training of trainers is a huge step forward for the success of this project and the health of children in this region, where 14 out of 100 children die before they turn 5.
Huge thanks to the district, the Ministry of Health trainers, Rotary, MPI and World Vision Uganda for a successful training — and to you!
“Early in the morning,
Jesus arrived again in the temple area,
and all the people started coming to him,
and he sat down and taught them.”
John 8:2
We are delighted to report that all 1,100 volunteers from 550 villages across the District of Katakwi have been trained and equipped as iCCM village health team members (VHTs)!
All of the volunteers had two consecutive training sessions in 20 different venues, with 100% attendance. 80 graduates from the “training of trainers” led the trainings, supervised by Ministry of Health master trainers. Other observers and supervisors included the Pilgrim Africa technical team, District Health Management Team (DHMT), World Vision, and Rotary Club of Muyenga.
Basic Health Care Package
This 3-day training from November 15-17 trained VHTs on basic health knowledge and skills, and on the collection and management of health information.
iCCM Training & Equipping
From the 18th-25th of November 2022, VHTs were trained on the diagnosis and case management of sick children, management of medicines and health supplies, registration and documentation of households and cases, danger signs for referral to health professionals, as well as on counseling caregivers on home care of newborns and sick children. Group discussions, role-plays, and demonstrations helped ensure all participants benefited. During the last two days, the participants practiced their skills on sick children in the health facility.
A project in partnership with Rotary International,
Malaria Partners International, and World Vision
Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) is a community-based child health strategy designed to reduce deaths and disease in children under 5 suffering from the top three childhood killers: malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea. After Pilgrim Africa completed our community trial on iCCM methods in three highly infected sub counties of Katakwi District, Uganda in late 2020, all partners hoped we could scale up iCCM to the entire district. Hopes are being realized now with an iCCM scale-up project for all of Katakwi under strong leadership from the Ministry of Health National Malaria Control Division (NMCD), and after months of collaboration with the sponsoring organizations: Malaria Partners International, Rotary International, and World Vision.
Enormous thanks to the funding partners for their faith, optimism and hard work, which makes this scale-up possible! Huge thanks also to the Ministry of Health NMCD, for their support and coordination of all the partners.
The district program launch was on August 17, 2022, and was well attended by Ministry of Health National Malaria Control Division, Katakwi District local government and health team, Muyenga Rotary Club (the host club for the Rotary project), World Vision Uganda, and Pilgrim Africa.
Important Project Statistics
This newsletter is the first of a series of updates on this exciting and ongoing project. The work in Uganda has remained a top priority, and we are eager to share it more fully.
“I will call on you, my God.
Turn your ear to me, and hear my prayer.”
Psalm 17:6