Uganda
The Foundation has worked in Uganda since 2000. Today, in collaboration with the Uganda National AIDS Control Program, the Foundation is increasing access to a broad range of comprehensive quality HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) services for children, women, and families in 13 districts of the Southwestern region (Kisoro, Kanungu, Rukungiri, Kabale, Ntungamo, Ibanda, Isingiro, Kiruhura, Bushenyi, Sheema, Buhweju, Mitooma, and Rubirizi).
Read the Foundation's official country brochure for Uganda here.
Foundation initiatives in Uganda include:
- Improvement of maternal and child health (MCH) services, including family planning;
- Strengthening linkages between PMTCT and HIV care and treatment services;
- Identification and referral of HIV-exposed children and their families to HIV care facilities; and
- Provision of HIV care and treatment.
Improvement of Maternal and Child Health Services
The Foundation engages in a range of activities to strengthen HIV prevention, care, and treatment services at MCH clinics, including:
- Renovation of clinics to provide adequate counseling, examination, and safe delivery space.
- Infection prevention training and supplies for MCH staff; and
- Quality improvement of infant/young child feeding and family planning counseling.
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(Photo: James Pursey)
PMTCT Services
The Foundation partners with the Ugandan MOH to provide innovative HIV/AIDS prevention services by:
- Working to get more women the best medicines to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV; and,
- Ensuring more infants receive medicines to prevent MTCT.
Identification and Referral
The Foundation has created critical linkages with existing community-based programs to increase the screening and identification of HIV-exposed children and their families.
- Foundation outreach teams are leading ongoing efforts to inform and educate communities about available HIV care and treatment services for children.
- Foundation-trained peer educators are increasing the number of identified HIV-exposed infants, while home visits are helping to identify new patients earlier and to create stronger linkages between health facilities and communities.
Care and Treatment
Ensuring that HIV-infected children and adults live longer, healthier lives is a cornerstone of the Foundation’s mission.
- Care and treatment for children and families living with HIV and AIDS was initiated in 2008 and is currently being offered at Foundation-supported sites, increasing access to critical ART and consolidating the PMTCT-ART linkage service system.
- The Foundation is filling the ART services gap. While many Ugandan health centers have been authorized to provide care and treatment, many lack adequate training and supervision. In response, the Foundation has begun training health care workers to deliver these critical services.
(Photo: James Pursey)
Uganda in the Foundation’s Blog
Stories of Hope from Uganda
In the News: Our Work in Uganda
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(Photo: James Pursey)
Uganda Program Highlights*
- Provided support to 188 PMTCT sites and 240 care and treatment sites in the 13 districts of the southwestern region.
- Tested nearly 1.8 million pregnant women for HIV.
- Provided more than 2.2 million women with PMTCT services.
*Data as of December 31, 2011.