IDI Receives $2 Million Grant for Civil Society Basket Fund Regional Referral Hospitals Project (CSF/RRHs)

In January 2011, IDI received a $2 million dollar grant award from the Civil Society Fund (CSF) to build the capacity of eight RRHs to increase access to HIV/AIDS care and support services. The grant is specifically meant to increase access to these services by special populations and to improve retention of ART clients at these facilities. Key project positions have been filled and project offices have been set up on Mawanda road, Kampala. The key partners in the project include the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Strengthening Uganda’s Health System Treatment of AIDS (SUSTAIN) Project and the Mulago-Mbarara Joint AIDS Programme (MJAP).
A baseline assessment of all the 13 RRHs (a key project milestone) was conducted in May 2011 and a dissemination of the key findings to key stakeholders carried out in July 2011. The key findings showed that the special populations which the project seeks to target exist at all the 13 RRHs but there are generally no dedicated services at these facilities. Additionally, the capacity to increase the care and treatment services is specifically lacking in the areas of human resources, data management, logistics management and infrastructure.

The eight RRHs participating in this project have been selected and include: Gulu RRH, Lira RRH, Moroto RRH, Soroti RRH, Masaka RRH, Hoima RRH, Fort Portal RRH and Mubende RRH. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between IDI and these facilities will be signed to guide the implementation of project activities.