Piloting and Implementing the District Assessment Tool for Anemia

68 Pages·2017·1.08 MB·English

Piloting and Implementing the District
Assessment Tool for Anemia in Uganda:
Experiences and Lessons Learned

February 2018

Piloting and Implementing the
District Assessment Tool for Anemia in
Uganda:
Experiences and Lessons Learned
ABOUT SPRING
The Strengthening Partnerships, Results, and Innovations in Nutrition Globally (SPRING) project is a
seven-year USAID-funded cooperative agreement to strengthen global and country efforts to
scale up high-impact nutrition practices and policies and improve maternal and child nutrition
outcomes. The project is managed by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., with partners Helen
Keller International, The Manoff Group, Save the Children, and the International Food Policy
Research Institute.

RECOMMENDED CITATION
SPRING. 2018. Piloting and Implementing the District Assessment Tool for Anemia (DATA) in
Uganda—Experiences and Lessons Learned. Kampala: Strengthening Partnerships, Results, and
Innovations in Nutrition Globally (SPRING) project.

DISCLAIMER
This report is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the terms of the Cooperative
Agreement AID-OAA-A-11-00031, SPRING, managed by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc.
(JSI). The contents are the responsibility of JSI, and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID
or the U.S. Government.

SPRING
JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc.
Plot 36/37A Martyrs Way, Ministers Village
P.O Box 40070-Ntinda, Kampala- Uganda
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.spring-nutrition.org
Cover photo: Joshua Yospyn
Contents
Acknowledgments............................................................................................................................................................................... iii
Acronyms ................................................................................................................................................................................................. v
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................ vii
1.0 Background ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
2.0 Pilot and Implementation of DATA in Uganda.................................................................................................................. 3
2.1 Orientation of the NAWG and Consultative Meetings to Review the Tool ....................................................... 3
2.2 Piloting DATA in Namutumba, Arua, and Amuria Districts ..................................................................................... 3
2.3 After the Pilot: DATA Implementation in the South Western Districts ............................................................... 5
3.0 Key Findings from Pilot and Implementation of DATA .................................................................................................. 7
3.1 Logistics and facilitation ........................................................................................................................................................ 7
3.2 Content and usability .............................................................................................................................................................. 7
3.3 Program findings ...................................................................................................................................................................... 9
3.4 Commitment from districts and NAWG .......................................................................................................................... 9
4.0 After the Workshops: Follow-up with Pilot Districts on DATA Action Plans ...................................................... 11
Progress in the pilot districts.................................................................................................................................................... 11
5.0. Lessons and Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................... 15
5.1 Lessons ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
5.2. Recommendations for integration and scale up ...................................................................................................... 15
6.0 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Annex 1: Lists of Participants for the Pilot and Rollout of DATA .................................................................................... 19
Annex 2: Workshop Agendas ....................................................................................................................................................... 27
Annex 3: Findings from the Pilot Districts (Dashboards) ................................................................................................... 29
Annex 4: Evaluation of DATA Workshops ................................................................................................................................ 35
Annex 5: Prioritization Actions by Sector in the Three Pilot Districts ........................................................................... 39
ii | Piloting and Implementing DATA in Uganda
Acknowledgments
The USAID SPRING/Uganda project, Dr. Robert Mwadime (Chief of Party) and Nancy Adero (Technical
Advisor), would like to thank all the stakeholders who participated in the pilot and implementation of the
District Assessment Tool for Anemia (DATA) in Uganda, especially the National Anemia Working Group
(NAWG) taskforce members and facilitators, without whom implementation would not have been
possible: Sarah Ngalombi (NAWG Secretariat Ministry of Health [MOH]); Tim Mateeba (Reproductive
Health-MOH); Dr. Jane Nabakooza (Malaria Control Programme-MOH); Martin Bulamu (Resource Center-
MOH); Doreen Abwola (National Medical Stores-MOH); Dr. Peter Rukundo (Kyambogo University); Susan
Oketcho (Ministry of Education and Sports); Geoffrey Wakwabubi (Ministry of Water and Environment),
Okweda Benedict (Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development), Ameny Basil (NMS), Christine
Nsungwa (Ministry of Water and Environment), Cherirey Lawrence (National Medical Stores) and Thomas
Abeja (Ministry of Water and Environment).
Our gratitude goes to the administrative management, political leaders, department and sector officials in
Namutumba, Arua, Amuria, Sheema, Kanungu, Mbarara districts for implementation and ownership of the
tool. Appreciation also goes to the USAID/Regional Health Integration to Enhance Services (RHITES)
team: Dr. Edward Bitarakwate, Dr. Moses Walakira, Esther Naluguza, Dr. Mary Namubira and technical
officers; as well as the South Western districts who made it possible to rollout and follow up DATA in the
four Phase I districts and plan to roll out in 11 more districts during Phases II and III.
Special thanks also goes to the SPRING Washington and Uganda staff Danya Sarkar, Denish Moorthy,
Sorrel Namaste, Irene Nasasiira, Jennifer Akello, Francis Ssebiryo, and Adera Asasiira for their support
throughout the process.
It is our hope that the use of DATA will strengthen district anemia prevention and control initiatives and
reduce anemia among children and women in Uganda.

Experiences and Lessons Learned | iii
iv | Piloting and Implementing DATA in Uganda
Acronyms
CAO Chief Administrative Officer
DATA District Assessment Tool for Anemia
DHMT District Health Management Team
DHO District Health Office
DNCC District Nutrition Coordination Committee
HMIS health management information system
IFA iron and folic acid
IPTp intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy
IYCF infant and young child feeding
JSI JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc.
MOES Ministry of Education and Sports
MOH Ministry of Health
MWE Ministry of Water and Environment
NAWG National Anemia Working Group
NMS National Medical Stores
SPRING Strengthening Partnerships, Results, and Innovations in Nutrition Globally
RHITES Regional Health Integration to Enhance Services
USAID U.S. Agency for International Development
WASH water, sanitation, and hygiene
WRA women of reproductive age

Experiences and Lessons Learned | v
vi | Piloting and Implementing DATA in Uganda