Almost half of all child admissions to Mbale PROJECT BRIEF Regional Hospital are due to malaria Mbale Malaria Project, The aim of the project is to contribute to the reduction of deaths in children due to malaria and other severe childhood illness through a strengthened health system

COUNTRY PROJECT OUTLINE Uganda, Mbale Malaria control through a the Ministry of Health, Mbale DONOR strengthened health system in Regional Referral Hospital, Mbale Comic Relief UK Mbale, Uganda is a three year District Health Authorities, Central project funded by Comic Relief Public Health Laboratories (CPHL) LENGTH OF PROJECT UK and implemented by Malaria and the communities through 2011 - 2014 Consortium. It spans three years their VHTs. commencing June 2011. The Malaria is the most common main goal of the project is to cause of illness and death in PARTNERS contribute to the reduction of children and adults in Mbale Ministry of Health, Mbale deaths in children due to malaria District, which suffers as having Regional Referral Hospital, and other severe childhood among the highest malaria Health illness by: disease burden in the country. Authorities, Central Public Statistics from Mbale Regional Health Laboratories (CPHL) 99 Improving the health workers Referral Hospital show that practices malaria accounts for over 20,000 99 Ensuring the availability of admissions each year; almost half medicines and other health of all child inpatients have malaria supplies in health facilities and over 30 percent of admissions 99 Involving the community overall at the hospital are due to through the Village Health malaria. Teams (VHTs) The project will undertake 99 Establishing a functional a baseline survey to ascertain community-facility referral the malaria burden, family system health care seeking practices, This project will be the referral pathway, the health implemented in partnership with workers knowledge and practices, This project has a direct impact upon efforts to:

99 Combat malaria

99 Manage common childhood illnesses

99 Strengthen national health systems

99 Provide monitoring and evaluation outputs

99 Encourage behaviour change through A Community Health Worker in Inhambane shows her equipment and records communications

99 Provide health support to Mbale district is to the east of the Ugandan capital - near the border with Kenya marginalised populations

availability of anti-malarials and strong links between the VHTs other essential health supplies and the health facility. We will PROJECT AIMS required to provide quality care in also pilot ways to improve referral malaria case management. such as a colour code system •• A stronger referral system Overall, the project aims to to facilitate triage. A system of will be put in place from the reduce deaths and incidences working with the boda bondas community up to hospital of severe malaria by ensuring (motor cycle transport) will level. By improving the quality a practical community referral be developed to facilitate the of the referral system, we aim system and better care at in health availability of rapid transportation to offset the indirect costs facilities. This will be achieved of referred children. associated with referral, such through improved health workers Health workers will be trained as waiting times at health practices, enhanced diagnostic in malaria case management facilities. capability and the consistent and other severe childhood •• The necessary tools and availability of essential medicines illness. They will receive support supplies to appropriately and and health supplies for malaria supervision and mentoring and promptly manage malaria case management. be provided with the necessary and other severe childhood Communities and families will tools to manage malaria and illness are available to health be mobilised and information and other childhood illness. workers at all times. These skills provided in the management In addition, appropriate will include rapid diagnostic of malaria and other childhood diagnostic capacity will be tests, microscopy, medicines, illness. This will be done through developed at all levels of delivery supplies and equipment information, education and of care. The Central Public Health required for severe malaria behaviour change activities. This Laboratory (CPHL) of the Ministry management. should lead to improvements in of Health is a crucial partner in •• Health workers’ practices in the health seeking behaviour of the project’s aim to establish case management of severe carers of children. a regional quality assurance childhood illness and malaria An effective community-health laboratory for malaria diagnostics are improved and follow latest facility referral system will require in Mbale district. best practice.

Malaria Consortium [email protected] Development House www.malariaconsortium.org 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT, United Kingdom UK Registered Charity No: 1099776

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