Working with the Uganda Ministry of Health and with funding from UNICEF, the Maternal Newborn Child Health Centre of Excellence at Makerere University School of Public Health is set to assess how access to and utilization of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health and nutrition and HIV services are being affected by the response to COVID-19 and how mitigation measures are working and by whom, in Uganda.
The study will document the response actions for mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on RMNCAH and HIV services at national, sub-national, health facility and community levels; assess the district, health facility and community preparedness to provide RMNCAH and HIV services during the pandemic.
Various rapid methods will be used including use of routine health and district data (DHIS 2), phone calls, social media analysis, and the UNICEF tools of U-Report, M-Track, and Mom Connect. A monthly report will be presented to the Ministry of Health and UNICEF to inform ongoing improvements in ensuring the continuity of services.
The study is being led by Professor Rhoda Wanyenze, Associate Professor Peter Waiswa, and Dr Simon Muhumuza of Makerere University School of Public Health.