📌 Project Title: 

“Capacity Building of Health Workers in 254 Health Facilities and 5 Hospitals in Eastern Uganda on NCD Care, Screening, Diagnosis, Referral, and Treatment” 

🎯 Project Goal: 

To strengthen the capacity of frontline health workers in delivering quality, timely, and comprehensive care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by equipping them with the knowledge, tools, and systems required for early detection, management, and referral across 254 health facilities and 5 hospitals in Eastern Uganda. 

📍 Geographic Focus: 

Eastern Uganda, covering facilities in multiple districts including HC IIIs, HC IVs, and regional referral hospitals. 

🔑 Core Program Activities 

1. Needs Assessment and Training Planning 

• Conduct a training needs assessment (TNA) across the 259 facilities to identify gaps in NCD knowledge and service delivery. 

• Map existing staff capacity and define training modules based on MOH standards and WHO PEN (Package of Essential NCD Interventions). 

• Develop a phased training rollout plan across the sub-regions. 

2. Development and Customization of NCD Training Materials 

• Customize MOH-approved training content on: 

• Hypertension, diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease 

• Early cancer detection (cervical, breast, prostate) 

• Mental health and lifestyle counseling 

• Translate key job aids and protocols into local languages where needed. 

• Print clinical guidelines, referral algorithms, and screening checklists. 

Training of Health Workers (Facility-Based and Offsite) 

• Train over 800+ frontline health workers (clinical officers, nurses, midwives, laboratory staff) from 254 facilities and 5 hospitals. 

• Use a cascade training model with master trainers and district mentors. 

• Conduct interactive sessions on: 

• NCD risk factor identification 

• Patient education and counseling 

• Use of diagnostic tools (BP monitors, glucometers, peak flow meters) 

• Referral systems and data capture 

4. On-Site Clinical Mentorship and Support Supervision 

• Deploy clinical mentors to each district to offer hands-on mentorship, case reviews, and follow-up support. 

• Integrate peer learning visits between high- and low-performing facilities. 

• Support quarterly clinical audits and review meetings to assess quality. 

5. Provision of Job Aids and NCD Screening Tools 

• Distribute essential clinical job aids, screening tools, and patient tracking cards to each facility. 

• Supply NCD corners with BP machines, glucometers, height/weight scales, screening registers, and counseling flipcharts. 

• Introduce lifestyle counseling tools for diet, physical activity, and tobacco cessation. 

6. Strengthening Referral and Linkage Systems 

• Develop and roll out a referral and counter-referral mechanism between lower-level facilities and hospitals. 

• Train staff on referral documentation, feedback loops, and emergency triage. 

• Support integration with ambulance and community health structures. 

7. Monitoring, Learning, and Data Use 

• Support use of NCD-specific HMIS tools (e.g., HMIS 105, NCD registers). 

• Train health workers on data-driven decision-making and indicator tracking. 

• Facilitate quarterly review meetings to evaluate patient flow, case detection, and treatment initiation rates. 

👥 Target Beneficiaries: 

• 800+ health workers across 254 health centers and 5 district/regional hospitals 

• Indirectly benefits over 2 million people served by the facilities 

• District health teams, supervisors, and community health workers 

📈 Expected Results: 

• ≥90% of trained staff demonstrate improved knowledge and skills in NCD screening and management 

• Early detection and treatment initiation increase by 40% across target districts 

• Functional NCD referral systems in 100% of supported facilities 

• Enhanced data capture and patient follow-up for chronic conditions 

• Creation of a sustainable mentoring and peer support system 

🌱 Sustainability Measures: 

• Embed NCD training into district annual health plans and CME schedules 

• Link trained staff to regional NCD coordinators and mentors 

• Digitalize some training content for ongoing use on tablets/phones 

• Advocate for facility and district ownership of NCD response efforts