ADUNU Project Launch
Group photo at the ADUNU project launch in Kitgum, Uganda. From left to right: Dr. Emmy Okello (RRCU Co-Director), Dr. John Omagino (UHI Director), Charles Oyoo Akiya (MOH NCD Commissioner), Henry Okello Otto (DHO).
Jafesi Pulle, Dr. Doreen Nakagaayi, and Isaac Otim in front of the Kitgum Health Department Building.
ADUNU (Accelerating Delivery of rheUmatic heart disease preventive iNterventions in Uganda)
The Uganda Ministry of Health’s ADUNU Program has begun!
The ADUNU Program is an evidence-informed package of integrated health system interventions built around decades of research on the prevention and treatment of Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD). The Program is being administered by the Uganda of Ministry of Health (MoH) in partnership with the Uganda Heart Institute (UHI). The RRCU is using implementation science to study the Program’s rollout and lessons learned in order to develop a scalable program unit that can be adopted Nationally.
The ADUNU Program’s first site is Kitgum District, in Northern Uganda. To generate excitement about the Program and engage stakeholders, the ADUNU Program and ADUNU Research teams hosted a launch event in Kitgum on 16th April 2023 in the District Council Hall. The launch was attended by leaders from the community, political groups, the district health office, health centers and hospitals, the Uganda Ministry of Health, and the Uganda Heart Institute. Dr. Doreen Nakagaayi, an adult cardiologist and RRCU researcher helped host the project launch. Dr. Doreen said, “there was a wonderful turn out; community members and stakeholders showed enthusiasm, excitement, and pledged their support to the program.”
In early May, the ADUNU Program and Research teams began onboarding Kitgum health centers to the Program, which is focused on three overarching goals: 1) training local health center workers find cases of RHD in the community by using portable echo equipment, 2) building capacity at the District Hospital and HCIV facilities to provide diagnostic confirmation and RHD secondary care and 3) providing treatment to those whose screenings come back positive for RHD through a registry-based care system – the ACT Tool (an m-health application developed during the ADD-RHD program).
Jafes Pulle, RRCU Program Lead, helped design and roll-out the ADUNU Program. He shares Dr. Doreen’s excitement surrounding the ADUNU launch, the impact it will have on Uganda’s communities, and the potential for scaling up to a national level. Jafes comments, “identifying those living with RHD early enough for medical interventions to be effective has the potential to improve health outcomes throughout Uganda.”
ADUNU is designed to be delivered within the public healthcare system in Uganda via local District Health Offices (DHOs) and health center workers under the guidance of UHI and the MoH. The strong ties between the leadership of RRCU, UHI and the MoH will allow the ADUNU Program to maximize its benefits within the Kitgum and subsequent districts – providing the information needed for a future national program. Isaac, an RRCU employee coordinating ADUNU’s research efforts, is encouraged by the many positive interactions he has had while partnering with the Kitgum District Health Officer. Isaac says, “he [the District Health Officer] has been very passionate about the implementation of this RHD health program across the districts and pledged his support, guidance, and coordination throughout the Program.”
Now that the ADUNU Program has successfully launched, health center personnel and community outreach is ongoing. Over 300 Kitgum residents were screened in the first weeks of the Program, and those requiring further care have been connected to local resources. The ADUNU Program and Research teams will continue its training and outreach efforts in Kitgum over the next few years, with a plan to launch in the next district in early 2025.