Diocese of Jinja ICT-Project

The program is addressing the geographic, cultural and social aspects. Geographic , we shall ease the communication through phones and Internet especially in hard to reach areas like Islands, thus reducing costs.

Socio-Cultural:Gender disparities are being taken care of in this program, especially the men are being encouraged to participate in health care and support their wives and children, during ANC, immunizations, nutrition communication, labor and post natal care. Cultural believes and taboos more so on foods, inheritance, education, circumcisions are also being emphasized in the said program. This therefore, means that the positive aspects of the culture will be encouraged and strengthened, whiles, negative cultural believes and taboos will be discouraged.

Political: We are lobbying for conducive and favorable policies that support quality and safety, equitable, and efficient improvement in health care.

Current status

The current phase is that 70% of the funding has been received.Health Facilitiy (Lower Level and hospitals) staff have had an initial training in medical audit programme and general data management. Target communities have been identified and mobilized. The DHOs have sucessfully completed their training in PBF in Mombasa and have identified the public facilities we shall work with. Equipment (Computers, Printers) have been purchased and setup for use.

Local development of IEC materials to strengthen understanding of ICT especially in the communities.Lobbying and advocating Local Government and Public Health Facilities to integrate ICT and appreciate PBF approach in the health sector. To train the District Health Officers in PBF in order to appreciate its integration in public health facilities. Lobby the church leaders to stimulate the communities and disseminate IEC materials.

Target Group:

- Health Facilities both Diocesan ( Faith based) and Government
- Communities: Men, Women, Youth and children
- Institutions: Schools, Markets,Hotels/Restaurants
- Health Workers
- Local leaders
- Village Health Workers

1. By 2012 8 out of the 16 target health facilities will have accurate, complete and timely reporting on HMIS reports at all levels (Health Facilities, DHO & UCMB).
2. To build capacity of HUs staff (112) on integration of ICT into PBF by 2012.
3. To improve on maternal and child health care delivery by 2012.
4: To improve on patient satisfaction by 80% by 2012.

Goals

• Number of people reached by ICT (32.000);
• 112 health workers trained in ICT;
• 64 integrated outreaches conducted by 2012;
• Efficient and effective data and resource management in 8 HU;
• At least 60% of HU staff are qualified in each facility.

For faith based health facilities, already there is a fee charged so even when the program ends the funds collected like from patients user fees will meet the operational costs.

Secondly, these facilities are owned by the Diocese so their continuity is assured because the diocese can still continue to lobby for support from other partners

Thirdly: The policies put in place will also safeguard the usage for the government health facilities
The capacity and skills already imparted to health unit staff is already contributing to the sustainability, in that they will continue training other new staff as they are recruited. When the staff also appreciates the efficiency of this program they will adapt and adopt it.

The existing policy on Public Private Partnership for Health (PPPH) also do appreciate the use of ICT in the health, so we have high hopes that this program will be embraced by the Government as well, but this will be gradual.