Where implementation meets the real world.

Pilot Community ART Refill Sites · Ghana

GHS / NACP · CARS programme partners, including Rural Watch

Strategic Information support for Annual Clinical Visit orientation.

I handled the Strategic Information component of an orientation preparing pilot Community ART Refill Sites to implement the Annual Clinical Visit model—a differentiated service-delivery approach linking primary ART facilities (hubs) with approved community refill sites (spokes).

• ModelOne full clinical review at the hub each year; two six-month ART supplies; a viral-load threshold of ≤50 copies/ml; and two connected site types—hub and spoke.
• ContributionCovered monitoring, evaluation and KPI tools; timely entry in DHIS2’s individual-level workflow (e-Tracker); viral-load specimen dispatch and results documentation; enrolment, dual dispensing and reclassification. Training used presentations, demonstrations, group work, case studies, plenary discussion and practical exercises.
• Implementation prioritiesComplete programme tools and job aids before launch; supportive supervision within the first month; stronger data-entry capacity; clear hospital-to-community communication for stock and reporting; and systematic documentation of pilot lessons.
• Constraints identifiedStaff shortages and turnover, combined clinical and data-entry roles, PCR machine breakdowns and reagent shortages affecting testing reliability.

27 July–21 August · Ahafo, Western & Western North

GHS / NACP · US CDC-supported HIV rapid-testing programme

Strategic Information support for Dried Tube Specimen Proficiency Testing Round 10.

As a Strategic Information Officer, I supported the Round 10 cycle of Ghana’s HIV Rapid Testing Proficiency Programme, a national External Quality Assessment activity designed to strengthen the accuracy, reliability and consistency of HIV rapid testing.

• Activity cyclePanel preparation and distribution to testing sites from 27–31 July; testing, results collation, entry and analysis from 7–14 August; an August virtual review of facility performance; and on-site corrective-action training from 17–21 August.
• Strategic Information contributionSupported the results and review process, helping connect data collation, entry and analysis with facility-performance findings, identified gaps and corrective-action priorities.
• Quality focusThe activity used proficiency results to guide corrective action, strengthen quality-management systems and improve tester competency across participating sites.

17–21 August · Cape Coast, Mankesim, Ghana

AHF Ghana · NACP · Regional health colleagues

Strategic Information support for consolidated HTS and LIMS training.

I handled the Strategic Information component of a five-day training, connecting index-testing documentation and facility-level performance review with practical monitoring, quality improvement and follow-up workflows.

• ContributionFacilitated practical sessions on index-testing M&E and QI tools, continuity of treatment and lost to follow-up, line listing and aggregate data visualisation. I also presented programme-level reviews of index-testing gaps, client status and viral-load eligibility.
• OutcomeHelped participants translate routine programme data into service follow-up, implementation and data-quality priorities.