Examining the Ugandan health system's readiness to deliver rheumatic heart disease-related services.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In 2018, the World Health Assembly mandated Member States to take action on rheumatic heart disease (RHD), which persists in countries with weak health systems. We conducted an assessment of the current state of RHD-related healthcare in Uganda.

Methodology/principal findings

This was a mixed-methods, deductive simultaneous design study conducted in four districts of Uganda. Using census sampling, we surveyed health facilities in each district using an RHD survey instrument that was modeled after the WHO SARA tool. We interviewed health workers with experience managing RHD, purposively sampling to ensure a range of qualification and geographic variation. Our final sample included 402 facilities and 36 health workers. We found major gaps in knowledge of clinical gu

SUBMITTER: Ndagire E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7909659 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature