On 16th February 2014, forum leaders appeared on Better FM to assess the exchange visit to Women of Uganda Network(WOUGNET), Transparency International (TI) and Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC) supported projects in the districts of Apac, Lira, Oyam and Gulu that was aimed at ensuring ToroDev staff and partners have a deep understanding and context of how local citizens in Northern Uganda are engaging their leaders for improved service delivery.
Category: News
Rwenzori Journalist trained in policy making
Over 60 journalists from the seven districts of the Rwenzori region has been trained in policy process making, interpretation to enable them have legal skills that will enable them make leaders accountable. Johnstone Baguma Kumaraki the Director Tooro Dev speaking to Journalists in a one day training work shop organized by Rwenzori Journalist Forum in Partnership with Tooro development net work yesterday at Whispering gardens.
Video: Introduction to eSociety Kasese
Located in Western Uganda, eSociety Kasese is a resource centre that promotes ICT literacy and the use of ICT for transparency in the local government. As part of its iParticipate Uganda project, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) has provided to the centre equipment and connectivity support. In addition, we jointly conduct research and citizen journalism training.
Below is an introductory video to the Centre.
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ToroDev holds an exchange visit to ICT4Democracy East Africa partners’ projects in Northern Uganda.
ToroDev project staff and advocacy forum leaders from the Western Uganda districts of Kyenjojo, Kabarole and Ntoroko had an exchange visit to Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET), Transparency International (TI) and Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC) supported projects in the districts of Lira, Apac, Oyam and Gulu.
The 5 days exchange visit (11th – 15th February, 2014) was aimed at improving ToroDev’s and partners approaches of using appropriate ICTs and physical platforms like rural advocacy forums to promote engagements between local citizens and leaders for improved service delivery in the seven districts of the Rwenzori region.
Local Citizens Receive Training In Policy Advocacy
ToroDev has trained 12 local citizens and a radio journalist in policy advocacy and social media to improve the participation of local citizens in government planning, budgeting and decision making processes. They also received more training in service delivery monitoring and lobbying and advocacy using the most appropriate ICT tools. The training which was held on 30th January 2014 at ToroDev offices, Fort Portal attracted participant’s form the Rwenzori Region districts of Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa, Ntoroko, Bundibugyo and Kamwenge.
The 12 participants were leaders of the rural advocacy forums which are citizen led community groups mostly based at sub county levels aimed at service delivery monitoring and accountability using the most appropriate ICT tools especially local FM radio stations. The rural advocacy forums initiation was supported by ToroDev. A radio journalist representing Rwenzori Journalist Forum (RJF) also participated in the training. RJF initiation was also supported by ToroDev to improve accountability broadcasting in the seven districts of the Rwenzori Region.
ICT for Health Service Delivery :Project Story
In Northern Uganda “ICT 4 health service delivery” project used technological approach to empower the communities. Through the empowerment, the communities were able to engagement and participate in monitoring and demanding for better health service delivery. The main awareness media technological tools that were used included the local FM radio programs which informed, educated and empowered over 7000 people in and out of the target districts in a period of 12 months, TIU managed a Toll free call center that the communities used for reporting health centre irregularities, for onward action by duty bearers.
Health services remain a great need for many communities and the only facilities that most of them can afford are government health centers which provide free health care services. Most health centers like Ogur, Aromo and Anyeke in Northern Uganda are visited by patients from as far as 24 kilometers. In most cases they ride bicycles to and from the health centers. it is often disappointing for such a patient to reach the health center and find it still locked even by 10:00am. In most occasions, even when the health center is open, some health workers are absent while most drugs are lacking.
Project Results and Lessons Learned 2011 – 2013
We are pleased to share some of our partner project results for the period June 2011 – December 2013. For purposes of communicating the results from these projects as well as The Swedish Programme for ICT in Developing Regions (Spider)’s own experience with working with catalytic seed funding modality, evaluations of all partner projects are under way.
Three partner evaluations subjected to theoretical readings have been finalized and we are pleased to publish these reports for the purpose of furthering the growth of the field of ICT4D.
- Results and lessons learned iHub Research December 2013
- Results and lessons learned Kenya Human Rights Commission December 2013
- Results and lessons learned Women of Uganda Network December 2013
More reports are in the pipeline.
New Spider Research Publication on ICT4D in East Africa
The publication “ICT for Anti-corruption, Democracy and Education in East Africa” is the first product of the Swedish Programme for ICT in Developing Region (Spider)’s Research Related to Projects initiative which was devised and first implemented in 2012.
Connecting research directly to Spider supported projects aims to establish a closer connection between ICT4D research and ICT4D practice. The support allows ICT4D researchers in Sweden, in collaboration with researchers and practitioners in partner countries, to carry out research on ongoing ICT4D projects. This has generated research that can contribute more directly to development work, and provide a substantial contribution to poverty reduction and other development goals. The publication covers three thematic areas: anti-corruption, democracy and education. The six contributions span from ethnographic descriptions and analyses to explorations of collaborative design and evaluation of the achievement of set capacity building goals from the capability approach.
The volume is edited by Dr Katja Sarajeva, Program Manager at Spider.
Download the publication here.
ICT4Democracy In East Africa Newsletter August 2013
Read about how The Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) in Tanzania takes SMS to the citizens to strengthen human rights. The newsletter also includes articles on “Health Service Delivery”, “Empowering rural communities through ICTs”, and “Fostering community empowerment through ICTs for service delivery and community participation”, among other things. The Spider ICT4Democracy in East Africa Network is premised on the recognition that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enhances communication and the right to freedom of expression, as well as the right to seek, receive and impart information.
In this respect, ICT has the potential to increase citizens’ participation in decision-making processes, thus strengthening democratisation. The network is facilitated by The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), based in Uganda. Participating project partners come from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Download the Newsletter here.
ICT 4 Health Service Delivery: Project Results
Transparency International Uganda (TIU) which is the implementing organization is a registered Non-governmental Organization, TIU envisions a Ugandan society in which the daily lives of the people are free of corruption; Currently working in the sectors of health, education, extractive industries , Private sector and Research. TIU is a member organization of ICT 4 Democracy In East Africa.
Project Title: ICT 4 Health Service Delivery
Purpose: To promote transparency and accountability in health service delivery through ICT.
Goal: To Contribute towards improvement of health service delivery in Northern Uganda
Objectives
To reduce the rates on absenteeism of health workers
To increase community participation in demanding for Transparency and Accountability functionality of health centers
To empower communities in reporting cases of absenteeism through ICT.
To promote Local government Advocacy in health service delivery.
Project Summary
ICT 4 health service delivery pilot project (Funded by SPIDER) has been implemented by Transparency International Uganda (TIU) in two districts (Lira and Oyam) in Northern Uganda; specific health centers that worked directly with the project included health centers from Oyam which included Anyeke HC (Health Center) IV, Iceme HC II, Loro HC II, Agulurude HC III and four health centers from Lira that included Amach HC IV, Barr HC III, Ogur HC IV and Aromo HC III. The ICT project right from inception used technological approach of community empowerment and engagement/participation in monitoring and demanding for better health service delivery. The main awareness media technological tools that were used was the local FM radio programs which informed, educated and empowered over 7000 people in and out of the target districts in a period of 12months. The Toll free call center was the main platform that was and is still being used for active community reporting.
Through the call center TIU received 3267 calls from community members. The reports pointed out key challenges of Absenteeism, under-staffing, ghost workers, poor hygiene, inadequate accommodation facilities, drugs stock out uncoordinated health workers transfers without replacement. and corruption in Uganda police force. Other callers were requesting for project replication in their communities while others wanted to know more about the project. In response TIU managed to conduct health center verification visits to validate the reports. . Some of the problems were handled and resolved at the community level. The health management committees were able to address the challenges. Challenges that proved to be beyond respective health center management level like ghost workers, inadequate staff accommodation and drug stock out were shared with district health officers who were able to respond by first updating staff employment register at district level tallying it with staff numbers physically present at health centers. The district health department also managed to complete construction of staff accommodation at some health units.
Health workers absenteeism was reduced by 30%, the figure was derived by comparing staff attendance/arrival register statistics during inception and after empowering people and structures working together to stop absenteeism. As a commitment for continuous monitoring and provision of better health service delivery, stakeholders committed themselves through development pact signing which has improved working relationship between health workers and health users. Community volunteers have given testimonies to the positive results/changes realized at their respective health centers.
During the entire period of implementation the Local government district health offices of Lira and Oyam supported and participated in project implementation by providing government vehicles for on spot health center visits and also responded to recommendations from TIU in regards to challenges reported from the health centers.
Project methods and results
During project implementation TI Uganda used ICT platforms for both stakeholder empowerment and engagement; key technological platforms and tools used were: toll free call center, FM (frequency modulation) radio programs, social media (www.facebook.com/StopAbsenteeism) and mobile phones.
Toll free Call Center:Community volunteers, health users, health workers and other used the facility to report cases to TIU, after receiving the call center reports, verification visits were conducted to spot check, verify and validate the issues reported. TIU frequently called back to seek for clarifications, remotely follow up on urgent challenges reported and giving feedback to callers.
Radio programs; The Radio programs were used to inform, educate and empower project beneficiaries and stakeholders towards collective efforts in promoting social accountability of health workers in health service delivery. Among presenters of the radio program included, CSO partners like Lira NGO Forum, Justice and Peace Center Lira and Voluntary accountability Committee members. They shared with communities the different ideas for improvement, key examples from of what happens on ground and provided recommendations for improving health service delivery. Radio talks-shows reached beyond Lira and Oyam districts. In order for the toll free number to be known to the different take holders, TIU ran spot radio jingles advertising the number and informing the communities on the reporting guidelines. Empowering people enabled TIU to receive reports from different health centers, pointing out challenges in healthcare accessibility. Due to this, health workers were alert at all times since their misconduct would be reported by just a call away.
Strategies used during Project Implementation
- Using existing structures, leadership & community Volunteers.
- Empowering communities through radio programs.
- Engaging beneficiaries in reporting healthcare using toll free call center (0800200188)
- Development pact signing
- Engaging District Health Authorities toward taking appropriate action in solving identified challenges.
- Social Media (www.facebook.com/StopAdventeeism)
Key Results
- Un-coordinated transfer of health workers with out immediate replacement was solved by the district health offices, most of the transfers are now being done with immediate replace.
- Both Lira and Oyam district health offices made communication to partnering CSOs to coordinate their workshop invitations through district health office which helped to reduced absenteeism, in the past staffs scheduled to be on duty would prefer to attend workshops once invited rather than working at the health center.
- Knowledge gained and capacity built in using ICT for community participation in healthcare service delivery monitoring
- Health worker’s capacity built and they are more willing to work as a team.
- Community health users empowered and informed of their health rights and are now demanding social accountability of Health workers.
- Hygiene of Amach, Anyeke and Aromo Health center has improved.
- Through Development Pact Signing communities and their leaders acquired new ways of jointly working towards improving health service delivery.
- Through Social media, knowledge shared and gained from global internet users.
- Districts Local government investigated and followed up recommended health care challenges in the health centers that required government role play.
- Indiscipline health workers have faced disciplinary measures leading to their improved code of conduct and others removed from government payroll.
- One health center Kitchen was built at Agulurude Health Center III.
- Staff Houses at Agulurude Health III were constructed.
- District Health officers have continued to request the project intervention be replicated in the remaining sub counties/health centers of their respective districts
- Reduced level of Staff absenteeism: Health workers absenteeism was reduced by 30%, the figure was derived by comparing staff attendance/arrival register statistics during inception and after empowering people and structures working together to stop absenteeism.
Challenges
- Transfer of empowered health workers and replaced with staff who require to be informed and empowered to work together with other staff and community towards improving health service delivery.
- Civil servants feared participating in radio stalk shows.
- Changing dynamics of health users who either visits the health centers once in two months or Come from distant villages which affects their ability to monitor health services
- ICT infrastructure accessibility among women is minimal.
Sustainability
Project has empowered communities to take up health service delivery monitoring beyond project implementation The community members themselves monitor and demand for social responsibility of health workers. The District local government structures are monitoring the health units and addressing any reported anomalies. TIU is currently ensuring that all pilot projects are up-scaled, proposals are being developed to fund raise and give the ICT 4 Health service delivery life after SPIDER funding.