THE COMMENDED PROGRAM

AstraZeneca and the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) have partnered to develop and pilot a pathbreaking model for integrated disease management in Uganda. The model builds the capacity of rural healthcare systems to effectively target HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria together.

The partnership is improving healthcare infrastructure and training healthcare workers at all levels-from medical records assistants to lab technicians. Nearly 950 volunteer health workers are now active in 139 villages in central Uganda. Their primary duties are to promote health awareness, provide homebased care for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, psycho-social support and referrals to clinics. The partnership focuses particularly on those most vulnerable to illness and death from disease, including women of childbearing age, children and youth.

AMREF works closely with the local government and Ugandan Ministry of Health to ensure local oversight and government buy-in for the integrated model. AstraZeneca has committed US$3 million toward the partnership to support the pilot through 2012.

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

Strengthening Health Systems
Rather than create disease-specific systems in their own silos, the AstraZeneca /AMREF partnership focuses on strengthening existing systems to respond better to the high disease burden brought about by malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB. This includes the training of lab assistants and hundreds of village health workers to manage HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria within the home, and the refurbishment of five out of 10 targeted laboratories.

Integrating Across Diseases
By taking an integrated approach across all three diseases, the model is able to scale up and cost-effectively impact the region it serves. Integrated healthcare services and the help of trained volunteer health workers are increasing the access to information and healthcare coverage for communities in need. Overall, the program has reduced training costs by about 40 percent.