As the GF’s board, one of the Uganda CCM’s main objectives is to ensure that all GF activities are running as approved and as scheduled by the GF to ensure that GF resources reach the intended beneficiaries in time. This requires holding various meetings at board level, secretariat level and with PRs/SRs. During these meetings, the CCM secretariat gets an update of all GF activities, gives guidance to PRs/SRs and makes appropriate plans for the continued running of GF activities in the country. Between January and June 2016, the CCM has held three Board meetings, one retreat and eight committee meetings (two meetings for each of the four committees) in line with its oversight role and capacity building of PRs and SRs.
Development and submission of national funding proposals
[dropcap_one]I[/dropcap_one]n May 2016, the Uganda CCM submitted to the Global Fund two costed extension funding applications/requests for HIV/AIDS and Malaria grants. This was for an additional USD $78,862,462 million made available as additional resource to Uganda for the 2014 -2017 allocation period. These additional funds will help address current gaps in essential services under the HIV/AIDS and Malaria grants with regards to commodities, specifically towards Uganda’s funding gap for HIV and Malaria health products and commodities. The costed extension requests were as outlined below:
- HIV Grant – USD $36,623,979 million
- Malaria Grant – USD $42,238,483 million
The malaria costed extension funding application was prompted by the generalized malaria upsurge across the country coupled with the malaria epidemic that has affected 10 districts in Northern Uganda since April 2015. The grant will, among others, cover the mass and routine distribution of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN), behavioral change communication to educate people about malaria prevention and management, facility based treatment of malaria, Integrated Community Case Management (ICCM) of severe malaria. The HIV/AIDS costed extension funds will help in addressing current gaps in essential services under the current HIV/AIDS grant.
The Uganda CCM submitted the two additional funding applications for Uganda to avoid disruption in the scope and scale of coverage financed through the Global Fund and cover the emerging gaps in 2016 and the needs of 2017
Grant Performance Update
Between January and June 2016, the Uganda CCM has been overseeing the implementation of Global Fund grant funds in Uganda. These grant funds were secured to implement key disease interventions in 2015 and 2016. Some of the key activities done using these grant funds are detailed below.
HIV/AIDS Grants Performance Update
The HIV/AIDS grants have gone towards the prevention, care and treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS. As of June 2016, the number of people tested and counseled for HIV and who received results under HIV/AIDS grants is 5,117,663 while the percentage of infants born to HIV-positive women and weretested for HIV within two months of birth is 73%. This surpassed the targeted percentage of 56%.
The number and percentage of HIV positive pregnant women who received antiretroviral medicineswith Global Fund support to reduce the risk of mother to child transmission is 81.76% while 834,931 people with advanced HIV infection are currently receiving Antiretroviral combination therapy.
[dropcap_one]T[/dropcap_one] he HIV/AIDS grants have also supported targeted home based and community HIV testing campaigns in selected high prevalence communities and districts (districts around Lake Victoria and Kyoga). In addition, selected teachers and peers have been trained to impart skills for behavior change to students and teachers while health workers at Health Centre (HC) III and HC II have been trained in couples counselling and testing services. The HIV/AIDS grant funds have also ensured training and support for peers and networks to enhance condom distribution for sex workers, fisher folk, truckers and uniformed personnel.
HIV/TB Grant performance update
[dropcap_one]S[/dropcap_one]ome activities under HIV and TB were covered by joint HIV/TB grant funds. In brief, the joint HIV/TB Global Fund grant funds have catered for nationwide orientation programs on Multi Drug Resistant TB (MDR TB) and Extensively Drug Resistant TB(XDR TB) program. These orientation programs involvetechnical, political and community leaders. In addition, 1,850 sex workers have been reached with HIV prevention programs and have received a defined package of services. A total of 1,663 have tested for HIV and received their results.
With the Global Fund as the biggest funder of TB programs in the country, TB grant funds have gone a long way in ensuring that TB patients are tested and treated to avoid the spread of TB in communities. The funds have secured TB, MDR TB and XDR TB medicines and laboratory reagents, facilitated trainings to increase the capacity of health workers to diagnose TB especially in children and procured GeneXpert machines(Xpert machines) and cartridges used to test TB.
[dropcap_one]H[/dropcap_one]ealth workers have also been trained about TB management, treatment and follow-up. They havealso received training on how to use the Xpert machines.For key affected populations, TB Global Fund grant funds have facilitated home assessment and contact screening for those in close contact with MDR-TB patients. Under Community Systems Strengthening,the grant enabled the implementation of a TB Advocacy and awareness weekas well as a five-day TB exhibition week.
Malaria Grant Performance Update
[dropcap_one]T[/dropcap_one]he Malaria grants are performing equally well. They played a key role in the management of the malaria epidemic that has ravaged Northern Uganda and the country as a whole since April 2015. The grants have enabled trainings in malaria prevention and management in 50 districts as well as Quality assurance and Quality control. Additionally, the grants have facilitated the training of health workers including records staff and private sector health workers. Some of these Malaria grant funds were used to procure mosquito net testing equipment/machines for the National Drug Authority and procured mosquito nets (LLINS) for a mass distribution campaign. Since children are some of the most affected by malaria, health workers and school nurses have received orientation on mass fever treatment. Over 16,723 Village Health Teams (VHTs) have also been trained and are conducting active case detection and referrals for treatment. Community social mobilisation and trainings to equip teachers and students with malaria prevention and management skills are also ongoing.
Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) grant funds update
[dropcap_one]T[/dropcap_one]he Government of Uganda, through the Health Systems Strengthening grant from the Global Fund, received USD $5.2 Million for the construction of a new Warehouse for National Medical Stores (NMS). The new warehouse will allow NMS to hold up to six months of stock of Essential Medicines and supplies and ensure commodity security.
Using the grant funds, a medicines warehouse construction steering committee was appointed to provide oversight over the project. Procurement forperimeter wall and access road construction was successfully done and works are on-going. By the end of July, the perimeter wall and site hand over to the Design and Build Contractor will be completed, closely followed by the ground breaking ceremony.
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