Shifting Human Resources for Health in the context of ART provision in primary care facilities: qualitative and quantitative findings from the Lablite Baseline Survey
Abstract
This conference poster presents a cross-sectional baseline survey [November 2011 to July 2012] conducted in 3 countries (Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe) to describe and compare national and inter-country delivery of training, clinical care and use of laboratory monitoring. The survey showed that in all three countries, shortage of staff challenges the decentralization of ART in primary care facilities, especially those in rural areas. Most primary care facilities had no trained laboratory staff thus provision of laboratory services is limited.
In addition to HRH planning and forecasting, optimization of existing frontline HCWs (healthcare workers) is critical for increasing numbers of ART patients with operationalization of the 2013 WHO guidelines. Provision of equitable training may also improve decentralization of ART care [Lablite has developed training videos to be used for mentoring health care workers in primary facilities].
The study was part of Lablite, a large implementation study which seeks to demonstrate that ART can be safely and cost-effectively delivered in resource-limited settings to support the decentralization of ART in Africa.
Citation
Nkhata, M.J.; Cataldo, F.; Muzambi, M.; Seeley, J.; Ford, D.; Chan, A.K.; Namata, H.; Sodhi, S.; Abongomera, G.; South, A.; Grundy, C.; Reid, A.; Mambule, I.; Katabira, E.; Chiwaula, L.; van Oosterhout, J.J.; Kaggwa, S.; Thomason, M.; Gilks, C.; Hakim, J.; Kityo, C.; Gibb, D.M.; Lablite Project Team. Shifting Human Resources for Health in the context of ART provision in primary care facilities: qualitative and quantitative findings from the Lablite Baseline Survey. Presented at 17th International Conference on AIDS and STI’s in Africa 2013. (2013)
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