Uganda health system
Health services structure:
National Referral Hospitals
Regional Referral Hospitals
General hospitals
Health centres (HCs) IVs, IIIs, IIs, and Is
HC IV
- Health sub-district
- Day-to-day management and technical oversight of the lower level health facilities
- Leadership in the planning and management of health services including supervision and quality assurance
- Provision of technical, logistical and capacity development support to the lower health units and communities including procurement and supply of drugs.
HC III
- Provide basic preventive and curative care
- Provide supportive supervision to the community and HC IIs under their jurisdiction
HC II
- Provide first level of interaction between the formal health sector and the communities
- Provide outpatient care, community outreach services, and nurses provide comprehensive services and linkages with the Village Health Team (VHT)
HC I
- No physical structure but a team of people—VHTs—that link health facilities with the community
- VHT networks facilitate health promotion, service delivery, and community participation in access and utilization of health services
- 2015 assessment by MoH showed the VHT strategy has been implemented to varying degrees across the districts
Challenges
HC I
- Capacity to coordinate, train, and supervise VHT activities at district level
- Funding
- High attrition among VHTs due to lack of tools, resources, motivation, and regular supervision
- Coordination and supervision by the MoH