Transition to Local Partners

Overview

The USAID Regional Health Integration to Enhance Services in Southwest Uganda (RHITES-SW) is a USAID cooperative agreement implemented by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) since November 15, 2015. The project provides comprehensive tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS, family planning (FP), malaria, nutrition, and maternal, neonatal, and child health (MNCH) services in 18 districts and one city in the Southwest region of Uganda. In October 2020, RHITES-SW began transitioning direct service delivery for HIV and TB to local implementing partners. RHITES-SW ensured the sustainability of EGPAF’s interventions by using a transitional approach and a smooth handover to local partners and sub-grantees in the region.

EGPAF successfully transitioned HIV and TB direct service delivery across the Southwestern region of Uganda to multiple local partners including Joint Clinical Research Clinic (USAID Local Partner Health Services -Kigezi), the AIDS Support Organization (USAID Local Partner Health Services-Ankole), Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau (Local Service Delivery Activity), and to Government to Government Strengthening Activities at Kabale and Mbarara Regional Referral Hospitals. This was followed by providing routine technical assistance to these partners to ensure that gains along the 95-95-95 cascade were sustained and donor targets met. This transition provides a foundation for the future sustainability and ownership of HIV care and treatment in Uganda. This brief provides an overview of the transition’s implementation, successes factors, and achievements.

It is important to understand the roles and responsibilities of all the stakeholders involved in the process, from the program participants and community, administrative, and political leadership, to local partners. EGPAF supported stakeholder engagement at all levels, from the Ministry of Health through the various local governments to the health facilities, ensuring that both technical and geographic scope were clear, and that local partners were adequately supported in their new implementing role.