NRU :: Browsing by Author "Luboga, Sam"

Browsing by Author "Luboga, Sam"

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Accreditation in a Sub Saharan Medical School: a case study at Makerere University
(BMC medical education, 2013) Galukande, Moses; Opio, Kenneth; Nakasujja, Noeline; Buwembo, William; Kijjambu, Stephen C.; Dharamsi, Shafik; Luboga, Sam; Sewankambo, Nelson K.; Woollard, Robert
Of more than the 2,323 recognized and operating medical schools in 177 countries (world wide) not all are subjected to external evaluation and accreditation procedures. Quality Assurance in medical education is part of a medical school’s ethical responsibility and social accountability. Pushing this agenda in the midst of resource limitation, numerous competing interests and an already overwhelmed workforce were some of the challenges faced but it is a critical element of our medical profession’s social contract. This analysis paper highlights the process of standard defining for Medical Education in a typically low resourced sub Saharan medial school environment. Methods: The World Federation for Medical Education template was used as an operating point to define standards. A wide range of stakeholders participated and meaningfully contributed in several consensus meetings. Effective participatory techniques were used for the information gathering process and analysis. Results: Standards with a clear intent to enhance education were set through consensus. A cyclic process of continually measuring, judging and improving all standards was agreed and defined. Examples of the domains tackled are stated. Conclusion: Our efforts are good for our patients, our communities and for the future of health care in Uganda and the East African region.
Developing hospital accreditation standards in Uganda
(The International journal of health planning and management, 2016) Galukande, Moses; Katamba, Achilles; Nakasujja, Noeline; Baingana, Rhona; Bateganya, Moses; Hagopian, Amy; Barnhart, Scott; Luboga, Sam; Tavrow, Paula
Whereas accreditation is widely used as a tool to improve quality of healthcare in the developed world, it is a concept not well adapted in most developing countries for a host of reasons, including insufficient incentives, insufficient training and a shortage of human and material resources. The purpose of this paper is to describe refining use and outcomes of a self-assessment hospital accreditation tool developed for a resource-limited context. Methods We invited 60 stakeholders to review a set of standards (from which a selfassessment tool was developed), and subsequently refined them to include 485 standards in 7 domains. We then invited 60 hospitals to test them. A study team traveled to each of the 40 hospitals that agreed to participate providing training and debrief the self-assessment. The study was completed in 8 weeks
Eradicating female genital mutilation and cutting in Tanzania: an observational study
(BMC public health, 2015) Galukande, Moses; Kamara, Joseph; Ndabwire, Violet; Leistey, Elisabeth; Valla, Cecilia; Luboga, Sam
Female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C) has long been practiced in various parts of the world. The practice is still prevalent in 29 countries on the African continent despite decades of campaigning to eradicate it. The approaches for eradication have been multi-pronged, including but not limited to, health risk campaigns teaching about the health consequences for the girls and the women, recruitment of change agents from within the communities and the enforcement of legal mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to analyse the impact of an 18 month long campaign to eradicate or reduce FGM/C in a rural predominantly Masai community. Methods: An observational study involving mixed methods, quantitative and qualitative was conducted in Arusha region, Tanzania. A household survey, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, school children's group discussions and project document reviews for both baseline and endline assessments were used. Same tools were used for both baseline and endline assessements. Comparison of baseline and endline findings and conclusions were drawn. Results: The prevalence of self reported FGM/C at endline was 69.2 %. However, physical obstetric examination of women in labour revealed a prevalence of over 95 % FGM/C among women in labour. Those in favour of FGM/C eradication were 88 %. Nearly a third of the 100 FGM practitioners had denounced the practice; they also formed a peer group that met regularly comparing baseline and endline. Knowledge about FGM/C health risks increased from 16 to 30 % (p < 0.001). The practice is currently done secretly to an uncertain extent.
Essential Surgery at the District Hospital: A Retrospective Descriptive Analysis in Three African Countries
(PLoS Medicine, 2010) Galukande, Moses; Schreeb, Johan von; Wladis, Andreas; Mbembati, Naboth; Miranda, Helder de; Kruk, Margaret E.; Luboga, Sam; Matovu, Alphonsus; McCord, Colin; Ndao-Brumblay, S. Khady; Ozgediz, Doruk; Rockers, Peter C.; Quinones, Ana Roman; Vaz12, Fernando; Debas, Haile T.; Macfarlane, Sarah B.
Surgical conditions contribute significantly to the disease burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet there is an apparent neglect of surgical care as a public health intervention to counter this burden. There is increasing enthusiasm to reverse this trend, by promoting essential surgical services at the district hospital, the first point of contact for critical conditions for rural populations. This study investigated the scope of surgery conducted at district hospitals in three sub- Saharan African countries. Methods and Findings: In a retrospective descriptive study, field data were collected from eight district hospitals in Uganda, Tanzania, and Mozambique using a standardized form and interviews with key informants. Overall, the scope of surgical procedures performed was narrow and included mainly essential and life-saving emergency procedures. Surgical output varied across hospitals from five to 45 major procedures/10,000 people. Obstetric operations were most common and included cesarean sections and uterine evacuations. Hernia repair and wound care accounted for 65% of general surgical procedures. The number of beds in the studied hospitals ranged from 0.2 to 1.0 per 1,000 population. Conclusion: The findings of this study clearly indicate low levels of surgical care provision at the district level for the hospitals studied. The extent to which this translates into unmet need remains unknown although the very low proportions of live births in the catchment areas of these eight hospitals that are born by cesarean section suggest that there is a substantial unmet need for surgical services. The district hospital in the current health system in sub-Saharan Africa lends itself to feasible integration of essential surgery into the spectrum of comprehensive primary care services. It is therefore critical that the surgical capacity of the district hospital is significantly expanded; this will result in sustainable preventable morbidity and mortality.
A Homestay Model for Global Health and Medical Education in Resource-Limited Settings
(Medical Science Educator, 2015) Chia, David; Sadigh, Mitra; Goller, Taylor; Kristiansen, Karl; Luboga, Christine; Luboga, Sam; Sadigh, Majid
International health electives often overlook important aspects of cultural competency, psychosocial support, and bidirectional exchange. In order to address these shortcomings, we adapted the homestay model to an elective in Kampala, Uganda. Host families consist of local faculty selected based on experience with international students and involvement in medical education. Host families provide accommodations, meals, psychosocial support, counseling, and an informal curriculum of local language, culture, and politics. Participants are encouraged to find ways to give back to their host communities. This well-structured model enhances the experience of all involved by focusing on cultural immersion, social support, and mutual partnership.
Human Resource and Funding Constraints for Essential Surgery in District Hospitals in Africa: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Survey
(PLoS Med, 2010) Kruk, Margaret E.; Wladis, Andreas; Mbembati, Naboth; Ndao-Brumblay, S. Khady; Hsia, Renee Y.; Galukande, Moses; Luboga, Sam; Matovu, Alphonsus; Miranda, Helder de; Ozgediz, Doruk; Roman Quinones, Ana; Rockers, Peter C.; Schreeb, Johan von; Vaz, Fernando; Debas, Haile T.; Macfarlane, Sarah B.
There is a growing recognition that the provision of surgical services in low-income countries is inadequate to the need. While constrained health budgets and health worker shortages have been blamed for the low rates of surgery, there has been little empirical data on the providers of surgery and cost of surgical services in Africa. This study described the range of providers of surgical care and anesthesia and estimated the resources dedicated to surgery at district hospitals in three African countries. Methods and Findings: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional survey of data from eight district hospitals in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda. There were no specialist surgeons or anesthetists in any of the hospitals. Most of the health workers were nurses (77.5%), followed by mid-level providers (MLPs) not trained to provide surgical care (7.8%), and MLPs trained to perform surgical procedures (3.8%). There were one to six medical doctors per hospital (4.2% of clinical staff). Most major surgical procedures were performed by doctors (54.6%), however over one-third (35.9%) were done by MLPs. Anesthesia was mainly provided by nurses (39.4%). Most of the hospital expenditure was related to staffing. Of the total operating costs, only 7% to 14% was allocated to surgical care, the majority of which was for obstetric surgery. These costs represent a per capita expenditure on surgery ranging from US$0.05 to US$0.14 between the eight hospitals. Conclusion: African countries have adopted different policies to ensure the provision of surgical care in their respective district hospitals. Overall, the surgical output per capita was very low, reflecting low staffing ratios and limited expenditures for surgery. We found that most surgical and anesthesia services in the three countries in the study were provided by generalist doctors, MLPs, and nurses. Although more information is needed to estimate unmet need for surgery, increasing the funds allocated to surgery, and, in the absence of trained doctors and surgeons, formalizing the training of MLPs appears to be a pragmatic and cost-effective way to make basic surgical services available in underserved areas.
Increasing Access to Surgical Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: Priorities for National and International Agencies Recommended by the Bellagio Essential Surgery Group
(PLoS Med, 2009) Luboga, Sam; Macfarlane, Sarah B.; Schreeb, Johan von; Kruk, Margaret E.; Cherian, Meena N.; Bergstrom, Staffan; Bossyns, Paul B. M.; Denerville, Ernest; Dovlo, Delanyo; Galukande, Moses; Hsia, Renee Y.; Jayaraman, Sudha P.; Lubbock, Lindsey A.; Mock, Charles; Ozgediz, Doruk; Sekimpi, Patrick; Wladis, Andreas; Zakariah, Ahmed; Babadi Dade, Nameoua; Donkor, Peter; Kabutu Gatumbu, Jane; Hoekman, Patrick; IJsselmuiden, Carel B.; Jamison, Dean T.; Jessani, Nasreen; Jiskoot, Peter; Kakande, Ignatius; Mabweijano, Jacqueline R.; Mbembati, Naboth; McCord, Colin; Mijumbi, Cephas; Miranda, Helder de; Mkony, Charles A.; Mocumbi, Pascoal; Ndihokubwayo, Jean Bosco; Ngueumachi, Pierre; Ogbaselassie, Gebreamlak; Okitombahe, Evariste Lodi; Tidiane Toure, Cheikh; Vaz, Fernando; Zikusooka, Charlotte M.; Debas, Haile T.
In sub-Saharan Africa, only 46% of births are attended by skilled personnel, compared to 96% in Europe (according to data for the African Region of the World Health Organization [WHO] from 2000 to 2008 [1]). In 2005, slightly over one quarter of a million women died from complications of childbirth [1]; most of these deaths could have been avoided by providing women with access to basic obstetric care and obstetric surgical care. On average, across sub- Saharan Africa, a population of 10,000 is served by two doctors and 11 nursing and midwifery personnel, compared to 32 and 79 respectively serving the same number of people in Europe (WHO data 2000–2007 [1]). A child born in sub- Saharan Africa in 2007 could expect to live only 52 years, which is 22 years less than its European counterpart [1].
Intent to migrate among nursing students in Uganda: Measures of the brain drain in the next generation of health professionals
(2008, 2008) Nguyen, Lisa; Ropers, Steven; Nderitu, Esther; Zuyderduin, Anneke; Luboga, Sam; Hagopian, Amy
There is significant concern about the worldwide migration of nursing professionals from low-income countries to rich ones, as nurses are lured to fill the large number of vacancies in upper-income countries. This study explores the views of nursing students in Uganda to assess their views on practice options and their intentions to migrate. Methods: Anonymous questionnaires were distributed to nursing students at the Makerere Nursing School and Aga Khan University Nursing School in Kampala, Uganda, during July 2006, using convenience sampling methods, with 139 participants. Two focus groups were also conducted at one university. Results: Most (70%) of the participants would like to work outside Uganda, and said it was likely that within five years they would be working in the U.S. (59%) or the U.K. (49%). About a fourth (27%) said they could be working in another African country. Only eight percent of all students reported an unlikelihood to migrate within five years of training completion. Survey respondents were more dissatisfied with financial remuneration than with any other factor pushing them towards emigration. Those wanting to work in the settings of urban, private, or U.K./U.S. practices were less likely to express a sense of professional obligation and/or loyalty to country. Those who have lived in rural areas were less likely to report wanting to emigrate. Students with a desire to work in urban areas or private practice were more likely to report an intent to emigrate for financial reasons or in pursuit of country stability, while students wanting to work in rural areas or public practice were less likely to want to emigrate overall. Conclusion: Improving remuneration for nurses is the top priority policy change sought by nursing students in our study. Nursing schools may want to recruit students desiring work in rural areas or public practice to lead to a more stable workforce in Uganda.
Key Aspects of Health Policy Development to Improve Surgical Services in Uganda
(World journal of surgery, 2010) Luboga, Sam; Galukande, Moses; Mabweijano, Jacqueline; Ozgediz, Doruk; Jayaraman, Sudha
Recently, surgical services have been gaining greater attention as an integral part of public health in lowincome countries due to the significant volume and burden of surgical conditions, growing evidence of the cost effectiveness of surgical intervention, and global disparities in surgical care. Nonetheless, there has been limited discussion of the key aspects of health policy related to surgical services in low-income countries. Uganda, like other low-income sub-Saharan African countries, bears a heavy burden of surgical conditions with low surgical output in health facilities and significant unmet need for surgical care. To address this lack of adequate surgical services in Uganda, a diverse group of local stakeholders met in Kampala, Uganda, in May 2008 to develop a road map of key policy actions that would improve surgical services at the national level. The group identified a list of health policy priorities to improve surgical services in Uganda. The priorities were classified into three areas: (1) human resources, (2) health systems, and (3) research and advocacy. This article is a critical discussion of these health policy priorities with references to recent literature. This was the first such multidisciplinary meeting in Uganda with a focus on surgical services and its output may have relevance to health policy development in other low income countries planning to improve delivery of surgical services
Moyer’s method of mixed dentition analysis: a meta-analysis
(African Health Sciences, 2004) Buwembo, William; Luboga, Sam
Mixed dentition analysis forms an essential part of an orthodontic assessment. Moyer’s method which is commonly used for this analysis is based on data derived from a Caucasian population. The applicability of tables derived from the data Moyer used to other ethnic groups has been doubted. However no meta-analyses have been done to statistically prove this. Objective: To assess the applicability of Moyer’s method in different ethnic groups. Study design: A meta-analysis of studies done on other populations using Moyer’s method. Method: The seven articles included in this study were identified by a literature search of Medline (1966-June 2003) using predetermined key words, inclusion and exclusion criteria. 195 articles were reviewed and meta-analyzed. Results: Overall the correlation coefficients were found to be borderline in variation with a p-value of 0.05. Separation of the articles into Caucasian and Asian groups also gave borderline p-values of 0.05. Conclusion Variation in the correlation coefficients of different populations using Moyer’s method may fall either side. This implies that Moyer’s method of prediction may have population variations. For one to be sure of the accuracy while using Moyer’s method it may be safer to develop prediction tables for specific populations. Thus Moyer’s method cannot universally be applied without question.
Outcomes of male circumcision performed by medical doctors and non–doctor health workers in central Uganda
(Research Square, 2020) Kibansha Matumaini, Hope; Batte, Anthony; Otwombe, Kennedy; Lebotsa, Emily; Luboga, Sam
Task shifting for male circumcision is still a challenge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of circumcision conducted by doctors compared to non-doctors in Kampala, Uganda Results: In this prospective cohort study, we observed and followed 274 males at 3 health facilities in Kampala, Uganda. Each participant was observed during the circumcision procedure, monitored for 2 hours post-surgery and assessed at 24hours, 3 days and after one week for adverse events. The mean age of the circumcised men was 24.82 (6.36) years. Of the circumcisions, 19.3% (53/274) were carried out by doctors while 80.7% (221/274) by non-doctor health workers. About 5.47% (15/274) experienced adverse events and the proportions by cadre were similar; medical doctors (5.66% [3/53]) and non-doctor health workers (5.43% [12/221]), p=0.99. Seven patients had evidence of pus discharge (all had been operated by non-doctors), only 2 patients had bleeding at 2 hours (one by medical doctor and one by nondoctor), 4 patients had evidence of excessive skin removal (2 by medical doctor vs 2 by non-doctors). There was no reported urethral injury or glans amputation. These results indicate that non-doctor health workers can offer circumcision services safely with low adverse event rates.
Outcomes of voluntary medical male circumcision performed by medical doctors and non‑doctor health workers in central Uganda
(African Journal of Urology, 2021) Kibansha Matumaini, Hope; Batte, Anthony; Otwombe, Kennedy; Lebotsa, Emily; Luboga, Sam
Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) reduces the risk of HIV transmission. Task shifting of VMMCs to non-doctor health workers is recommended to enhance scale-up of VMMC programs. This study evaluated outcomes of circumcision conducted by doctors compared to non-doctors in central Uganda. Methods: In this prospective observational study, we observed and followed 274 males at 3 health facilities in Kampala, Uganda. Each participant was observed during the circumcision procedure, monitored for 2 h post-surgery and assessed at 24 h, 3 days and after one week for adverse events. Results: The median age of the circumcised men was 24.00(IQR, 20.00–28.00) years. Of the VMMCs, 19.3% (53/274) were carried out by doctors while 80.7% (221/274) by non-doctors. Following VMMC, 5.47% (15/274) men experienced adverse events and proportions of adverse events by cadre were similar; doctors (5.66% [3/53]) and non-doctor health workers (5.43% [12/221]), p = 0.99. Seven participants had pus discharge (all had been operated by non-doctors), 2 participants had bleeding at 2 h (one by doctor and one by non-doctor), and 4 participants had excessive skin removal (2 by doctors vs 2 by non-doctors). There was no reported urethral injury or glans amputation. Conclusion: Our study found no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse events among VMMCs conducted by doctors compared to non-doctor health workers. Our study showed no incidence of serious adverse events such as death, urethral injury or glans amputation following VMMCs. Our results add to the existing literature to guide task shifting in the context of VMMCs.
Satisfaction, motivation, and intent to stay among Ugandan physicians: a survey from 18 national hospitals
(The International journal of health planning and management, 2011) Luboga, Sam; Hagopian, Amy; Ndiku, John; Bancroft, Emily; McQuide, Pamela
Uganda faces a colossal shortages of human resources for health. Previous literature has largely focused on those who leave. This paper reports on a study of physicians working in 18 public and private facilities in Uganda as part of a larger study of more than 641 hospital-based health workers in Uganda. We report what could entice physicians to stay longer, satisfaction with current positions, and future career intentions. Methods This study took place in 18 Ugandan hospitals.We describe the 49 physicians who participated in 11 focus groups and the 63 physicians who completed questionnaires, out of a larger sample of 641 health workers overall. Findings Only 37% of physicians said they were satisfied with their jobs, and 46% reported they were at risk of leaving the health sector or the country. After compensation, the largest contributors to dissatisfaction among physicians were quality of management, availability of equipment and supplies (including drugs), quality of facility infrastructure, staffing and workload, political influence, community location, and professional development. Conclusion Physicians in our study were highly dissatisfied, with almost half the sample reporting a risk to leave the sector or the country. The established link in literature between physician dissatisfaction and departure from the health system suggests national and regional policy makers should consider interventions that address the contributors to dissatisfaction identified in our study. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Understanding the Challenges of Improving Sanitation and Hygiene Outcomes in a Community Based Intervention: A Cross-Sectional Study in Rural Tanzania
(International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2017) Kihika Kamara, Joseph; Galukande, Moses; Maeda, Florence; Luboga, Sam; Renzaho, Andre M. N.
Good sanitation and clean water are basic human rights yet they remain elusive to many rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).We carried out a cross sectional study to examine the impact of a four-year intervention aimed at improving access to water and sanitation and reducing waterborne disease, especially diarrhea in children under five years old. The study was carried out in April and May 2015 in Busangi, Chela and Ntobo wards of Kahama District of Tanzania. The interventions included education campaigns and improved water supply, and sanitation. The percentage of households (HHs) with access to water within 30 min increased from 19.2 to 48.9 and 17.6 to 27.3 in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. The percentage of HHs with hand washing facilities at the latrine increased from 0% to 13.2%. However, the incidence of diarrhea among children under five years increased over the intervention period, RR 2.91 95% CI 2.71–3.11, p < 0.0001. Availability of water alone may not influence the incidence of waterborne diseases. Factors such as water storage and usage, safe excreta disposal and other hygiene practices are critical for interventions negating the spread of water borne diseases. A model that articulates the extent to which these factors are helpful for such interventions should be explored.
Use of surgical task shifting to scale up essential surgical services: a feasibility analysis at facility level in Uganda
(MC health services research, 2013) Galukande, Moses; Kaggwa, Sam; Sekimpi, Patrick; Kakaire, Othman; Katamba, Achilles; Munabi, Ian; Mwesigye Runumi, Francis; Hagopian, Amy; Blair, Geoffrey; Barnhart, Scott; Luboga, Sam; Mills, Ed.
The shortage and mal-distribution of surgical specialists in sub-Saharan African countries is born out of shortage of individuals choosing a surgical career, limited training capacity, inadequate remuneration, and reluctance on the part of professionals to work in rural and remote areas, among other reasons. This study set out to assess the views of clinicians and managers on the use of task shifting as an effective way of alleviating shortages of skilled personnel at a facility level. Methods: 37 in-depth interviews with key informants and 24 focus group discussions were held to collect qualitative data, with a total of 80 healthcare managers and frontline health workers at 24 sites in 15 districts. Quantitative and descriptive facility data were also collected, including operating room log sheets to identify the most commonly conducted operations. Results: Most health facility managers and health workers supported surgical task shifting and some health workers practiced it. The practice is primarily driven by a shortage of human resources for health. Personnel expressed reluctance to engage in surgical task shifting in the absence of a regulatory mechanism or guiding policy. Those in favor of surgical task shifting regarded it as a potential solution to the lack of skilled personnel. Those who opposed it saw it as an approach that could reduce the quality of care and weaken the health system in the long term by opening it to unregulated practice and abuse of privilege. There were enough patient numbers and basic infrastructure to support training across all facilities for surgical task shifting.

Browsing by Author "Luboga, Sam"

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