The Capacity of Lower-Level Health Centres to Manage Noncommunicable Diseases in Uganda

With funding from the Danish Civil Society Fund (CISU), supported by the Danish NCD Alliance (DNCDA) and Uganda Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance (UNDCA), the study aimed at assessing the capacity of lower-level health centres (HC III & HC IV) to manage Non-Nommunicable Diseases (NCDs) in Uganda. Specifically, the study assessed the capacity of the HC III and HC IV units to (i) detect the main NCDs (cancer, diabetes and heart disease); (ii) offer clinical care, including timely referral of patients with NCDs; and (iii) raise awareness, through health education and health promotion, of major risk factors for NCDs. The study focused mainly on cancer, diabetes and heart disease as the most prevalent NCDs. Using a cross-sectional study design that included both qualitative and quantitative methods, the study revealed that HCs III and IV had inadequate technology, medicine, facilities, policies, recordkeeping, and human resource capacity to manage NCDs and conduct effective health education and promotion. As such, the study recommended that the staffing norms of all levels of HCs be upgraded, funding be increased at the district level, the salaries and general working conditions of HC workers be improved, and all HC health personnel be trained in NCD management