Population Services International Uganda

🎄It is the season of good cheer, merriment, and fun. Wishing you happy holidays! 🎉🎆🎆🎆

Over a week ago, the Ministry of Health - Uganda with support from Population Services International Uganda, Population Services International/Ethiopia (PSI/E) and partners hosted a delegation from the Ministry of Health - Ethiopia and representatives of the CSO for a south - to - south learning visit on the scale up of #selfcare for health. The learning visit showcased Uganda's policies, guidelines, and stakeholder roles in scaling up #selfcare interventions, particularly DMPA-SC self-injection, while exploring the use of M&E tools for tracking progress. It also provided an opportunity to share lessons learned, best practices, and resources required for successful #selfcare implementation in similar country contexts. The delegation appreciated; 1.     Uganda's broad stakeholder engagement approach for #selfcare advocacy 2.     Integration of #selfcare into national policies and frameworks 3.     Centralized procurement of #selfcare commodities and last mile assurance 4.     Leveraging community health workers to support self-carers 5.     Integration of #selfcare indicators in national health information systems 6.     The wholistic health system approach for scaling up #selfcare 7. Health providers' and individuals' willingness to support and practice #selfcare Uganda continues to lead the pack in advancing #selfcare and is committed to promoting south - to - south learning to advance the agenda across the African continent. #Selfcare4health #familyplanning #health #reproductivehealth #selfinject

🚨 Advancing Data Integrity for HIV Epidemic Control Today, teams from the Uganda Ministry of Health, MakSPH-METS, and Population Services International Uganda continued critical discussions to refine Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Validation Rules for the revised HIV-related HMIS tools. Key highlights included: ✅ Development and review of data aggregation guidelines and validation rules for SMC, HTS, Care and Treatment data in HMIS and EMR for practical use by frontline health workers. ✅ Exploration of additional finer data elements to be queried from the EMR which will require further engagement with key stakeholders to finalize their development. ✅ User-centered consideration in the development of guidelines is key to ensuring clarity and ease of understanding while using the tools. These efforts are pivotal in strengthening data integrity—a cornerstone for optimizing interventions aimed at achieving HIV/AIDS epidemic control. By aligning prevention and care strategies with accurate and reliable data, we can drive informed decision-making and ensure impactful outcomes for communities. 📢 Let’s continue to prioritize robust data systems and collaborative approaches for better health outcomes. Together, we can achieve lasting progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS. #DataIntegrity #EpidemicControl #HealthInnovation #CollaborationForImpact #HIVPrevention Lukwago Baker, Philip Kasibante, oriokot jude, Jennifer Balaba, Herbert Mulira

🚨 Strengthening Health Reporting for Impact In collaboration with Population Services International Uganda and MakSPH – METS program, Uganda's Ministry of Health is strengthening health reporting by developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Validation Rules for the revised HIV-related HMIS tools. ✅ What’s New? SOPs define clear parameters for what, when, where, and how data is collected and aggregated at the health facility through the EMR and HMIS tools. Validation rules to concretize data quality, flagging errors and inconsistencies in real-time to enhance accuracy and compliance. These tools are critical to improving the quality of data collected and analyzed for robust data-driven decision-making, subsequently enabling health partners to better serve those in need and at risk. Together, we’re ensuring every data point matters for improved health outcomes. 📢 Join us in championing reliable data for impactful decisions. Let’s work together to build systems that truly serve communities. #DataIntegrity #HealthInnovation #CollaborationForHealth #PSIUganda #DataDrivenHealth #HealthReporting #CollaborationForImpact Lukwago Baker Philip Kasibante oriokot jude herbert mulira Jennifer Balaba Balidawa Hudson Mabel Nakawooya

Together with Uganda’s Ministry of Health and other implementing partners, we are honoured to host a delegation from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health, Population Services International/Ethiopia (PSI/E), Ethiopia Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia (FGAE), for an insightful learning exchange visit focused on self-care interventions in family planning! 🌍 This exchange visit is a unique opportunity to share Uganda’s experiences and innovations, particularly the policies and implementation guidelines that have driven the introduction and scale-up of self-care interventions in family planning. The discussions are enriched by esteemed Ministry of Health officials, including Dr Charles Olaro, Director General at the Ministry of Health; Dr Martha Ajulong, Commissioner of Pharmacy; and Dr Roseline Achola, Technical Specialist for Self-Care. 💡 Key topics being explored during this visit include: ✔️ The structured processes, roles, and responsibilities, which facilitated the scale-up, including the Ministry’s collaboration with partners. ✔️ Lessons learned, best practices, and the critical resources required for success. ✔️ Revisions and adoption of monitoring and evaluation tools, particularly the HMIS, with a focus on self-injection contraceptives. These exchanges are vital for fostering cross-country collaboration and knowledge-sharing, helping to strengthen health systems and improve service delivery across Africa. By learning from one another’s experiences, we can advance innovative solutions that empower individuals and communities to take charge of their health and wellbeing. We look forward to continued dialogue and collaboration to ensure the success of self-care initiatives in both Uganda and Ethiopia. Together, we are building stronger, more sustainable health systems for our continent. #HealthSystemsStrengthening #SelfCareInnovation #KnowledgeSharing #CollaborationForImpact

🌟 Double Win for PSI Uganda! 🌟 We are thrilled to announce that PSI Uganda won two prestigious awards at the 2024 Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) Excellence Awards! 🏆 Not-for-Profit 🏆 Social/Digital Communication Campaign These national accolades recognize the outstanding success of our Discover Your Power campaign, executed under the Delivering Innovation in Self-Care Project. This campaign demonstrated the power of digital innovation and strategic communication in empowering communities to take charge of their health and well-being. A heartfelt THANK YOU to PSI Uganda and the DISC teams for your dedication, creativity, and relentless commitment to transforming health outcomes. These awards are a celebration of your incredible hard work and passion for making a difference. 💙 Here’s to even greater achievements ahead as we continue to innovate! 🚀 #PSIUganda #PRExcellence #DiscoverYourPower #DeliveringInnovationInSelfCare #Teamwork Population Services International Karl Hofmann Jennifer Pope (she/her) Farai Chieza Susan Mpanga Mukasa Nadia Afrin Abigail Winskell James Brown

🎉 Celebrating Charlotte Mirembe’s Impact on Workplace Wellness! 🎉 We are proud to announce that Charlotte Mirembe, PSI Uganda’s Human Resources and Administration Manager, was recognized among the top three finalists in the Workplace Wellness Initiative of the Year Category at the 2024 HR Reveal Awards, hosted by the Human Resource Managers' Association of Uganda. Charlotte’s compassionate and proactive approach to employee wellness facilitates a supportive and balanced workplace. Through initiatives like wellness check-ins and flexible work arrangements, she has created a culture that values trust, empathy, and open dialogue. This has not only boosted team morale and productivity but also reinforced PSI Uganda’s reputation as an employer of choice in the health sector. 🎊🏋️🥗 Congratulations, Charlotte, on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for your dedication to putting people first! 💙 #HRRevealAwards #WorkplaceWellness #PSIUganda #Leadership Population Services International Karl Hofmann Jennifer Pope (she/her) Farai Chieza Susan Mpanga Mukasa Nadia Afrin

🎉 Celebrating Excellence in Leadership! 🎉 A huge congratulations to our very own Dr. Lillian Sekabembe, Country Representative of PSI Uganda, for being named First Runner-Up in the Best People-Focused CEO of the Year Category at the 2024 HR Reveal Awards by the Human Resource Managers’ Association of Uganda! 🏆 👏This recognition is nothing short of incredible, especially considering Dr Lillian has only been in this role for a few months. Her commitment to prioritizing people, fostering collaboration, and driving impact has already made waves in our organization and beyond. We also extend our congratulations to Andrew Itambo Kilonzo, Managing Director of Uganda Breweries Limited, for winning this prestigious award! 👏 A special thank you to the amazing PSI Uganda team, whose hard work, dedication, and belief in our mission make achievements like this possible. Together, we are transforming health outcomes for the communities we serve. 💙 Here’s to many more milestones under Dr. Lillian’s visionary leadership! 🚀 #Leadership #HRRevealAwards #PeopleFirst #Teamwork #PSIUganda Population Services International Karl Hofmann Jennifer Pope (she/her) Farai Chieza Susan Mpanga Mukasa Nadia Afrin

The #HSR2024 Symposium in Nagasaki may be over, but the insights are still coming—captured in the latest episode of our Health Systems Pathways. This episode explores two pressing challenges in global health systems: 👉 Improving contributory health insurance models in low- and middle-income countries 👉Addressing fragmented care pathways for NCDs like diabetes and hypertension Hosted by PSI’s Director of Health Systems, Alex Ergo, this episode features Agnes Gatome-Munyua on how better purchasing strategies can strengthen health insurance systems. Then, Dr. Sudha Ramani shares insights from Mumbai’s urban informal settlements, where patient journeys for NCD care are often convoluted and inequitable, pointing to systemic barriers and practical policy solutions. 🎧 Give it a listen now: https://bit.ly/HSP_E8 

Evidence shows that #FamilyPlanning is not only a health intervention, but a strategy for economic and social development. As such, prioritizing its provision, uptake and utilization is pivotal to national development agenda. Innovations, new age interventions such as #SelfCare4Health and unconventional strategies like co-opting private sector channels and community service provision, can significantly increase access and utilization of a full method mix for #FamilyPlanning, in the context of informed choice.