Comparative evaluation of rapid diagnostic test and PCR-based diagnostic assay for identification of trypanosomes in cattle of Apac and Kiryandongo districts, Uganda: A cross sectional study.

Background: Diagnostic tests and knowledge of their diagnostic accuracies are important for animal trypanosomosis surveillance and treatment.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in November 2021 to compare the performance of rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and PCR-based assay for the detection of trypanosome infections. Random sampling and probability proportional to size sampling were used to sample study households and animals from the sampled household respectively.

Sudan virus disease super-spreading, Uganda, 2022.

Background: On 20 September 2022, Uganda declared its fifth Sudan virus disease (SVD) outbreak, culminating in 142 confirmed and 22 probable cases. The reproductive rate (R) of this outbreak was 1.25.

Advocacy, experience sharing and action planning toward raising additional financing for primary health care: spending more and spending better towards universal health coverage.

Background: Reallocation of funding to respond the covid-19 pandemic, against a backdrop of longstanding underfunded health systems and high out of pocket expenditures for health, affected access to health services for households, especially those without social protection. These highlighted the urgency in curbing the impact of disruptions on progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals. Strategic investments in Primary Health Care (PHC) can help spur the necessary momentum.

Financial Implications of Tariffs for Medical Oxygen on Rwandan Public Hospitals' Finance Management During the Coronavirus Epidemic.

In Rwanda, provider reimbursements for oxygen are based on the duration of patient consumption at a fixed hourly tariff rate. This study sought to assess whether the current insurance tariff in Rwanda was adequate to cover the costs of oxygen used in oxygen therapy and to explore alternative tariff models.The assessment found that hospitals make a marginal surplus from low volume flow rate patients and incur losses from patients who require high volume flow rates.

The economic cost of bovine trypanosomosis in pastoral and ago pastoral communities surrounding Murchision Falls National park, Buliisa district, Uganda.

Background: Animal diseases that are endemic like tsetse transmitted trypanosomosis cause the continuous expenditure of financial resources of livestock farmers and loss of productivity of livestock. Estimating the cost of controlling animal trypanosomosis can provide evidence for priority setting and targeting cost-effective control strategies.

Methodology: A cross-sectional survey to estimate the economic cost of bovine trypanosomosis was conducted in cattle-keeping communities living around Murchision falls National Park, in Buliisa district Uganda.

Prevalence and risk factors for trypanosome infection in cattle from communities surrounding the Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda.

Background: Bovine trypanosomosis transmitted by tsetse flies is a major constraint to cattle health and productivity in all sub-Saharan countries, including Uganda. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis and identify its associated risk factors and the species of trypanosomes associated with the disease.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted around Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda from January 2020 to April 2020.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices on bovine trypanosomosis control in pastoral and agro pastoral communities surrounding Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda.

A mixed method survey was conducted among pastoral and agro pastoral communities surrounding Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices about control of bovine trypanosomosis. A total of 96.8% (n = 152) of the participants had seen tsetse flies, and close to 91.

Household economic costs associated with mental, neurological and substance use disorders: a cross-sectional survey in six low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Little is known about the household economic costs associated with mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders in low- and middle-income countries.

Aims: To assess the association between MNS disorders and household education, consumption, production, assets and financial coping strategies in Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda.

Method: We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional household survey in one district in each country, comparing the economic circumstances of households with an MNS disorder (alcohol-use disorder, depression, epilepsy or psychosis) (n = 2339) and control households (n = 1982).

Field Performance of PIMA Point-of-Care Machine for CD4 Enumeration Under a Mobile HIV Counseling and Testing Program in Remote Fishing Communities of Lake Victoria, Uganda.

Uganda is among the most HIV/AIDS-afflicted countries, and many HIV-infected persons live in remote areas with poor access to health care. The success of HIV care programs relies in part on patient monitoring using CD4 T cell counts. We conducted an evaluation of the point-of-care PIMA test using BD FACSCount as a gold standard.

Validity and diagnostic accuracy of the Luganda version of the 9-item and 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire for detecting major depressive disorder in rural Uganda.

Background: The prevalence of depression in rural Ugandan communities is high and yet detection and treatment of depression in the primary care setting is suboptimal. Short valid depression screening measures may improve detection of depression. We describe the validation of the Luganda translated nine- and two-item Patient Health Questionnaires (PHQ-9 and PHQ-2) as screening tools for depression in two rural primary care facilities in Eastern Uganda.

Information systems for mental health in six low and middle income countries: cross country situation analysis.

Background: Research on information systems for mental health in low and middle income countries (LMICs) is scarce. As a result, there is a lack of reliable information on mental health service needs, treatment coverage and the quality of services provided.

Methods: With the aim of informing the development and implementation of a mental health information sub-system that includes reliable and measurable indicators on mental health within the Health Management Information Systems (HMIS), a cross-country situation analysis of HMIS was conducted in six LMICs (Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda), participating in the 'Emerging mental health systems in low and middle income countries' (Emerald) research programme.

Scaling-up services for psychosis, depression and epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia: development and application of a mental health systems planning tool (OneHealth).

Background: Although financing represents a critical component of health system strengthening and also a defining concern of efforts to move towards universal health coverage, many countries lack the tools and capacity to plan effectively for service scale-up. As part of a multi-country collaborative study (the Emerald project), we set out to develop, test and apply a fully integrated health systems resource planning and health impact tool for mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders.

Methods: A new module of the existing UN strategic planning OneHealth Tool was developed, which identifies health system resources required to scale-up a range of specified interventions for MNS disorders and also projects expected health gains at the population level.

Perinatal mental health care in a rural African district, Uganda: a qualitative study of barriers, facilitators and needs.

Background: Perinatal mental illness is a common and important public health problem, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to explore the barriers and facilitators, as well as perceptions about the feasibility and acceptability of plans to deliver perinatal mental health care in primary care settings in a low income, rural district in Uganda.

Methods: Six focus group discussions comprising separate groups of pregnant and postpartum women and village health teams as well as eight key informant interviews were conducted in the local language using a topic guide.

Knowledge and practices related to sexually transmitted infections among women of reproductive age living in Katanga slum, Kampala, Uganda.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) still stand as one of the commonest health problems affecting women of reproductive age. The knowledge and practices of STIs, among susceptible populations such as women of reproductive age, living in slums like Katanga in Kampala Uganda need to be established.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with 339 participants in Katanga slum.

Routes Countries Can Take To Achieve Full Ownership Of Immunization Programs.

A goal of the Global Vaccine Action Plan, led by the World Health Organization, is country ownership by 2020, defined here as the point when a country fully finances its routine immunization program with domestic resources. This article reports the progress made toward country ownership in twenty-two lower- and lower-middle-income countries engaged in the Sabin Vaccine Institute's Sustainable Immunization Financing Program. We focus on new practices developed in the key public institutions concerned with immunization financing, budget and resource tracking, and legislation, using case studies as examples.

Development of a district mental healthcare plan in Uganda.

Background: Evidence is needed for the integration of mental health into primary care advocated by the national health sector strategic investment plan in Uganda.

Aims: To describe the processes of developing a district mental healthcare plan (MHCP) in rural Uganda that facilitates integration of mental health into primary care.

Method: Mixed methods using a situational analysis, qualitative studies, theory of change workshops and partial piloting of the plan at two levels informed the MHCP.

Estimating the cost of implementing district mental healthcare plans in five low- and middle-income countries: the PRIME study.

Background: An essential element of mental health service scale up relates to an assessment of resource requirements and cost implications.

Aims: To assess the expected resource needs of scaling up services in five districts in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia.

Method: The resource quantities associated with each site's specified care package were identified and subsequently costed, both at current and target levels of coverage.

Prevalence of hospital-associated infections can be decreased effectively in developing countries.

Background: Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) are an important public health problem worldwide. Little information is available from African countries, but published data show that the burden of HAI is greater in Africa than in developed countries. In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) published guidelines for preventing HAI.

Creating sustainable financing and support for immunization programs in fifteen developing countries.

Immunization programs are important tools for reducing child mortality, and they need to be in place for each new generation. However, most national immunization programs in developing countries are financially and organizationally weak, in part because they depend heavily on funding from foreign sources. Through its Sustainable Immunization Financing Program, launched in 2007, the Sabin Vaccine Institute is working with fifteen African and Asian countries to establish stable internal funding for their immunization programs.

Stakeholder's perceptions of help-seeking behaviour among people with mental health problems in Uganda.

Introduction: Mental health facilities in Uganda remain underutilized, despite efforts to decentralize the services. One of the possible explanations for this is the help-seeking behaviours of people with mental health problems. Unfortunately little is known about the factors that influence the help-seeking behaviours.

Projected health benefits and costs of pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccination in Uganda.

We determined impact and cost-effectiveness of pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccination programs among children<5 years of age in Uganda from the public health system perspective. Disease-specific models compared the disease burden and cost with and without a vaccination program. If introduced, pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccine programs will save 10,796 and 5265 lives, respectively, prevent 94,071 Streptococcus pneumoniae and 94,729 rotavirus cases in children<5 years, and save 3886 and 996 million Ugandan shillings ($2.