Healthcare Systems Strengthening
Scope of Work
Sustainable community health outcomes require strong, coordinated primary healthcare systems. In post-conflict Northern Uganda, rural health infrastructure faces compounding constraints: under-equipped primary health centers, long travel distances for emergency care, and critical gaps in community-level health surveillance.
Our Healthcare Systems Strengthening programme works at the vital intersection of communities and formal health facilities. By training Village Health Teams (VHTs) as skilled first responders, standardizing emergency maternal referral protocols, and establishing formal partnerships with local health centers, we reinforce the foundations of community health delivery.
This programme operates in close synergy with our clinical initiatives and our national Mentorship Programme, ensuring that both frontline community workers and emerging healthcare professionals are equipped to deliver compassionate, high-quality care.
Core Objective
To strengthen frontline healthcare delivery across the Acholi sub-region by training Village Health Teams, equipping community workers, and building coordinated referral linkages with local health centers.
Target & Coverage
Village Health Teams (VHTs), Community Health Workers, local health center staff, and public health facilities across Gulu City and rural Acholi sub-counties.
Core Activities & Interventions
- Training 60 Village Health Teams in three annual cohorts on maternal danger signs, GBV first response, and sickle cell psychosocial support.
- Developing and formalizing institutional Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with sub-county health centres III & IV and referral hospitals.
- Establishing community-to-facility emergency referral pathways for high-risk obstetric and mental health cases.
- Supporting routine health information management and linkage with district health offices.
- Conducting community-grounded operational research to inform district health planning and evidence-based policy advocacy.
Success Indicators
60 Village Health Teams fully trained and actively conducting community health surveillance and referral.
Formalized referral linkages and MoUs established with sub-county health facilities and referral hospitals in Gulu.
Measurable improvement in timely referral and skilled facility delivery rates for high-risk obstetric cases.
Community-generated health evidence integrated into district health coordination dialogues and local planning.
Programme in Practice
Field documentation and photographic records from our Healthcare Systems Strengthening community operations and outreach activities across Northern Uganda.
