Mobile Phone-based Intervention to promote un-interrupted HIV treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Keeping HIV-infected adults away from the health care system during the COVID-19 travel restrictions, presents a challenge to HIV treatment adherence.

Methods: This study focused on the initial two phases where Phase 1 designed a Makerere College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)-based application; and Phase 2 piloted patient enrolment onto the application and determined the feasibility of remote follow-up of patients receiving long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Results: A off/online user application, MakCHS Health app, was developed.

Advancing the application of systems thinking in health: understanding the dynamics of neonatal mortality in Uganda.

Background: Of the three million newborns that die each year, Uganda ranks fifth highest in neonatal mortality rates, with 43,000 neonatal deaths each year. Despite child survival and safe motherhood programmes towards reducing child mortality, insufficient attention has been given to this critical first month of life. There is urgent need to innovatively employ alternative solutions that take into account the intricate complexities of neonatal health and the health systems.

Enhancing immunization coverage through health information systems: a system dynamics approach.

This paper demonstrates how qualitative System Dynamics methodology can be used to provide a better understanding of health systems thus facilitating better development and design of computer-based health information systems. In an earlier paper by the same authors, system dynamics modeling and field study research methods are used to capture the complex and dynamic nature of the immunization process, to enhance the understanding of the immunization health care problems and to generate insights that may increase the immunization coverage effectiveness. Through qualitative modeling, causal loop diagrams which are used to show the key issues that need to be addressed when developing health information systems are drawn with the aim of improving the immunization services.