Revolutionizing Neonatal Care in Uganda: The Journey of NoviGuide with Nakakeeto Foundation

In Uganda, where healthcare systems face immense challenges, neonatal care remains a vital yet underserved area. Through a partnership between the Nakakeeto Foundation and Global Strategies, a U.S.-based non-profit dedicated to health innovations, a transformative digital tool called NoviGuide has been introduced. This collaboration represents a pioneering effort to integrate digital health solutions into Uganda’s neonatal care, empowering healthcare workers with real-time, guided support as they care for the country’s smallest and most vulnerable patients.

What is NoviGuide?

NoviGuide, developed by Global Strategies, is a clinical decision support tool tailored specifically for neonatal care. Available as a tablet-based application, NoviGuide provides step-by-step clinical guidance that aligns with evidence-based neonatal protocols. It offers automated calculations for medications, fluids, and feeds, and instructional videos to support both healthcare providers and mothers. Through this innovative tool, providers can adhere to best practices confidently, even in facilities with limited resources.

The Partnership: Nakakeeto Foundation and Global Strategies

Nakakeeto Foundation and Global Strategies joined forces with a shared vision: to improve neonatal outcomes in Uganda through advanced digital solutions. The foundation, working closely with the Ugandan Ministry of Health, has been essential in implementing NoviGuide across the country, ensuring that healthcare providers at all levels can utilize this tool to enhance their work. This collaboration has brought NoviGuide to 34 health facilities across the West Nile, Rwenzori, and Eastern regions, including key sites like Arua Regional Referral Hospital, Moyo General Hospital, Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital, and Koboko General Hospital.

Together, these organizations have made an invaluable contribution to neonatal health in Uganda by providing more than 10,000 guided assessments, ensuring accurate, consistent care for newborns.

Achievements: Impact and Success Stories

Since its launch, NoviGuide has had a profound impact on neonatal care in Uganda, with achievements such as:

• Expanding Reach to Underserved Areas: By implementing NoviGuide across 34 facilities, we have made high-quality neonatal care more accessible, even in rural and hard-to-reach locations.
• Building Capacity and Confidence: Through training sessions facilitated by the Nakakeeto Foundation and Global Strategies, healthcare workers have learned to confidently use NoviGuide, empowering them to provide accurate care.
• Enhanced Neonatal Outcomes: With standardized guidance, providers can now deliver timely, evidence-based care that reduces the risks associated with neonatal health complications. This has led to significant improvements in neonatal outcomes across participating facilities.

Looking Ahead: NoviGuide’s Future in Uganda

Building on the successes of NoviGuide, the Nakakeeto Foundation is committed to expanding this tool’s reach even further. In 2025, the foundation plans to bring NoviGuide to additional districts, enhancing neonatal care for an even broader population. Key objectives for the future include:

• Expanding Community Engagement: Educating communities on neonatal health and the benefits of early, quality care.
• Ongoing Training and Mentorship: Providing continuous training to ensure every healthcare provider is confident in using NoviGuide.
• Strengthening Research Efforts: Collaborating on studies that measure NoviGuide’s impact, identifying areas for improvement, and expanding its scope to include pediatric care.

Voices from the Field

Feedback from healthcare workers underscores NoviGuide’s significance:

• A midwife from Nebbi General Hospital shared, “Before NoviGuide, managing medications for newborns was challenging. The app calculates exact dosages, reducing our stress and increasing our accuracy.”
• In Koboko General Hospital, a nurse observed, “NoviGuide has transformed our care process. We’re now able to provide quick, precise care, even during busy times.”

Conclusion: Transforming Lives, One Newborn at a Time

The partnership between the Nakakeeto Foundation and Global Strategies has brought forth a much-needed resource in Uganda’s neonatal care landscape. NoviGuide is more than an app; it’s a lifeline that has transformed care practices, empowered healthcare workers, and provided countless newborns with a fighting chance. As we continue to expand, the future looks promising for newborn health in Uganda and, one day, perhaps across Africa.

vENC Project Empowers Newborn Care in West Nile Region, Uganda

The Nakakeeto Foundation has taken an impactful step towards advancing neonatal healthcare in Uganda with the introduction of the Virtual Essential Newborn Care (vENC) training program, implemented initially in the West Nile region. This pioneering initiative aims to enhance the skills of healthcare providers in essential newborn care through an innovative virtual reality (VR) approach. The project, developed by the University of Washington, brings cutting-edge training solutions to rural and urban healthcare facilities in Uganda, with promising results. With the support of local health professionals, Nakakeeto Foundation representatives, and project coordinator Waligo Henry, the initial training sessions laid the groundwork for long-term improvements in newborn care.

Dr. Rachel Umoren's Visit

In June 2024, after months of training healthcare workers at Moyo General Hospital, Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital, and Koboko General Hospital, the Nakakeeto Foundation proudly welcomed Dr. Rachel Umoren, a distinguished neonatal healthcare expert from the University of Washington and one of the primary architects of the vENC program. Dr. Umoren visited the West Nile region to observe firsthand how the vENC tool has been implemented in Uganda and to assess its impact on healthcare delivery in some of the region's most essential healthcare facilities.

During the visit, Dr. Umoren was joined by Prof. Chinyere Ezeaka, a renowned pediatrician from Nigeria, Waligo Henry, and Dr. Margaret Nakakeeto, President of the Nakakeeto Foundation. The team embarked on a comprehensive journey through the West Nile, traveling hundreds of kilometers to meet healthcare teams, observe clinical interactions, and listen to feedback from vENC users. Their journey included visits to Moyo General Hospital, Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital, and Koboko General Hospital, where healthcare providers shared their experiences of using the vENC tool in everyday practice.

Transformative Impact of vENC Training in West Nile

The vENC training provides healthcare workers, especially midwives and nurses, with essential skills in managing newborn care emergencies. Through virtual simulations, healthcare providers experience real-life scenarios and practice critical procedures like neonatal resuscitation, infection prevention, and mother-infant bonding.

Early feedback from the three sites indicates significant improvements in newborn care practices. Staff members report greater confidence in performing life-saving procedures, improved resuscitation rates, and enhanced patient communication. The tool has also encouraged the integration of best practices, such as skin-to-skin contact for newborns and continuous hand hygiene, further helping to reduce neonatal mortality rates.

Dr. Rachel Umoren’s Visit Highlights vENC’s Successes and Next Steps

Dr. Umoren’s visit underscored the effectiveness of the vENC tool in strengthening essential newborn care skills among Ugandan healthcare providers. Her engagement with the local teams allowed for in-depth discussions around the program’s benefits and challenges. Dr. Umoren observed the program’s positive impact on reducing stress among midwives, increasing attention to neonatal emergencies, and standardizing care practices.

The Nakakeeto Foundation has expressed its commitment to expanding the program to additional facilities throughout the West Nile and beyond. Plans for the next phase of the project include addressing technical challenges identified by staff, including device compatibility, and exploring options for a reset feature in the vENC app, allowing users to practice skills continuously after completing all levels.

Empowering Ugandan Healthcare Workers for a Healthier Tomorrow

Enhancing Neonatal Healthcare in Uganda’s West Nile Region

In a groundbreaking visit, Professor Yvonne Vaucher, a neonatology expert from the University of California, San Diego, partnered with Dr. Margaret Nakakeeto and the Nakakeeto Foundation to improve neonatal healthcare across Uganda’s West Nile region. Between March 25 and March 29, 2024, Prof. Vaucher delivered lectures and hands-on training in six hospitals, imparting specialized knowledge on high-risk infant neurodevelopment and follow-up care to over 100 healthcare providers.

The journey spanned Nebbi, Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo, and Adjumani General Hospitals, where Prof. Vaucher provided critical insights into improving neonatal care practices, ensuring long-term health outcomes for high-risk infants. At each location, she conducted rigorous inspections of NICUs and Kangaroo Mother Care rooms, offering feedback and practical solutions.

Her sessions not only addressed immediate neonatal care but also introduced sustainable follow-up practices crucial for identifying developmental challenges early. During these sessions, Prof. Vaucher emphasized the importance of teamwork among healthcare providers, fostering collaboration across departments and encouraging active learning through interactive demonstrations and case discussions.

The visit's impact was amplified by the support of Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO), which provided training materials and resources, furthering the region's healthcare capacity. The Nakakeeto Foundation's ongoing commitment to healthcare in underserved regions aligns with HVO's mission, fostering a long-term approach to neonatal health in Uganda.