Cooperative Agreement NU2GGH002357

STRENGTHENING PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY SYSTEMS IN UGANDA - PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY THE JOINT CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTRE (JCRC), A NOT-FOR-PROFIT, NON-GOVERNMENTAL, LOCAL ORGANIZATION, ESTABLISHED IN 1990 TO ADDRESS THE SERIOUS PROBLEM OF THE HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC IN UGANDA, WILL WORK TOGETHER WITH ITS SUB PARTNERS, THE ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORIES (APHL) AND BIOLABS RED SERVICES, TO SUPPORT THE UGANDA NATIONAL HEALTH LABORATORY SERVICES (UNHLS) TO STRENGTHEN LABORATORY SYSTEMS AND ESTABLISH SUSTAINABLE DIAGNOSTIC OPTIMIZED NETWORKS AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR INTEGRATED HIV-RELATED TESTING, DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION IN UGANDA, AND TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER UGANDA?S NATIONAL MINIMUM HEALTHCARE PACKAGE. GOAL: THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE PEPFAR SUPPORT TO THE UNHLS TO ACHIEVE AND MONITOR UGANDA?S GLOBAL HIV 95-95-95 GOALS THROUGH IMPROVED AND SUSTAINABLE LABORATORY SERVICES. PROJECT STRATEGIES 1. WORK WITH UNHLS TO ESTABLISH SELF-SUSTAINABLE MINIMUM LABORATORY SERVICES AT THE NATIONAL, RRH, DISTRICT, AND HEALTH CENTER LABORATORIES THAT FUNCTION AS SPECIMEN REFERRAL, TESTING, AND RESULT TRANSMISSION HUBS 2. PROVIDE TA TO UNHLS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT THE NATIONAL LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND ACTIVITIES INCLUDING THE NATIONAL LABORATORY QUALITY ASSURANCE MASTER PLAN, CAPACITY BUILDING FOR BIOSAFETY AND BIOSECURITY, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF BIOSAFETY AND BIOSECURITY MEASURES WITHIN THE LABORATORY NETWORK 3. PROVIDE TA TO UNHLS TO COORDINATE AND IMPLEMENT THE NATIONAL LABORATORY SUPPLY CHAIN AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT 4. ASSIST UNHLS TO IMPLEMENT A NATIONAL LIMS MASTER PLAN APPROACH AND ACTIVITIES OUR PROPOSED APPROACHES AND CAPACITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF UGANDA?S LABORATORY SERVICES, WILL BE INNOVATIVE AND GEARED TOWARDS STRENGTHENING LABORATORY SYSTEMS FOR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. WE WILL SUPPORT THE UNHLS TO FURTHER EXPAND AND SUSTAIN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AT ALL HEALTH SYSTEM LEVELS, LEADING TO FULL ACCREDITATION STATUS. WE WILL WORK AT NATIONAL AND SUBNATIONAL LEVELS BUT GIVE EMPHASIS TO THE STRENGTHENING OF LABORATORIES IN THE REGIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITALS AND AT THE 100 `HUBS? RESPONSIBLE FOR SPECIMEN REFERRAL, TESTING AND RESULTS TRANSMISSION. WE WILL ENSURE BIOSAFETY AND BIOSECURITY AND FACILITATE IMPROVED MAINTENANCE OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT AND SUFFICIENT SUPPLIES OF ALL COMMODITIES TO ENSURE LABORATORY SERVICE ARE BOTH AVAILABLE AND SUSTAINABLE. WE WILL PRIORITIZE THE COLLECTION, REPORTING AND UTILIZATION OF LABORATORY DATA TO PROVIDE REPORTS AND DASHBOARDS. ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES WILL BE DONE IN FULL COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION WITH THE MOH, ITS DONORS AND IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS, WHO PROVIDE THE NEEDED FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THE LABORATORIES. ANTICIPATED IMPACT AND RESULTS: RESILIENT, SUSTAINABLE AND RELIABLE LABORATORY SERVICES, SUPPORTING NATIONAL HIV/AIDS CARE AND TREATMENT ACROSS UGANDA AND HEALTHCARE FOR ALL THROUGH THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF UGANDA?S NATIONAL MINIMUM HEALTHCARE PACKAGE. APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE