Leadership, Management and Sustainability (LMS) Program

COBES project in Uganda where medical students learn leadership concepts while in a community-based health care environment. Photo by Morsy Mansour, 2007.

Considered one of Africa’s first success stories in fighting HIV/AIDS, Uganda has experienced substantial advances in reducing prevalence and incidence of the disease over the past decade. Though still hindered by civil strife in the Northern region and burdened with an estimated 2 million children orphaned by AIDS, Uganda has taken steps to address women, youth, stigma, and discrimination issues, using a multi-sectoral approach of faith-based, political, and health leaders to improve national health. The country is now facing the challenge of scaling up its programs and effectively and efficiently making use of funds. LMS is providing technical assistance to strengthen leadership and management capacities of health programs throughout the country. With a focus on scaling up, pre-service training and capacity building, LMS and its partners are helping to prepare current and future health care providers to efficiently lead and manage.

EXPERIENCE IN COUNTRY

Commitment to Scale Up with the Joint Clinical Research Centre

The Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) began in 1991 as a small research center with five employees. By 2006, the organization had grown to 230 employees working in more than 40 locations nationwide, providing treatment to more than 60,000 persons living with AIDS. JCRC was the first private organization to offer AIDS drugs in sub-Saharan Africa. The organization is known internationally as a center of excellence providing leadership in HIV care, treatment and research. LMS is working with JCRC to strengthen the leadership and management capacity of managers in its laboratory network and the management systems of JCRC as a whole. JCRC’s specific management needs were identified during an administration of the Management and Organizational Sustainability Tool (MOST). The workshop produced both an assessment of JCRC’s current management capacity and an action plan for improving priority management systems. Participation in MOST enabled JCRC to clearly view where it is and what it needed to do to manage growth and strengthen its performance.

In addition, LMS is strengthening the management and leadership capacity of the multidisciplinary teams of doctors, nurses, counselors, adherence officers, data managers and lab staff who are providing ART services to thousands of clients in the Centres of Excellence.

Strengthening Laboratories in Uganda

Pre-Service Leadership and Management Programs

Working on a new initiative to better prepare medical students for the leadership and management roles they will play upon graduating, LMS initiated the integration of leadership and management training into pre-service programs at Makerere University Medical School. Twenty-three faculty from the Medical School have been trained as facilitators of the Leadership Development Program, discussions on curriculum integration and a pilot program in a few health facilities are underway. Steps have been taken by LMS staff to engage key stakeholders to encourage ongoing curriculum reform. In addition, the Nurses and Midwives Council of Uganda has requested LMS to provide input into its ongoing process of revising the pre-service curricula for Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses, and Nurse Midwives.

An Urgent Call to Professionalize Leadership and Management in Health Care Worldwide (PDF)

Virtual Leadership Development Programs in Uganda

Since the 2004 launch of the first Virtual Leadership Development Program (VLDP) in Africa, more teams have hailed from Uganda than any other country. A total of four VLDPs from 2004 to 2006 occurred, with teams from Uganda AIDS Commission, Faith-Based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, and local chapters of international organizations participating. Key challenges being addressed by these teams included improved multisectoral coordination, strengthening human resources for health, scale up of ARV availability, and strengthened management systems.