Pathways to healthcare for patients with chronic respiratory diseases
Situation:
Chronic respiratory diseases, specifically airways diseases, are the third leading cause of death worldwide. Low- and middle-income countries are particularly affected and have higher mortality than high-income countries. Although local guidelines exist, implementation is a major challenge. Apart from funding constraints, limited awareness of CRDs and health care capacity are the main reasons.
Objectives:
The project aims to address this health care need for CRD. Together with our local partners in Tanzania and Mozambique, we want to develop a pathway of care that describes the roles and activities of a vertically organised referral system (from primary to tertiary level). Our activities include situation analysis and mapping, awareness and capacity building, and implementation of health services
Indicators are increase of clinical capacities (trained staff and available equipment), the implementation of new tools and assessments for CRD health care, and increased level of awareness and uptake/support of CRDs and related health implementations among policy makers, medical staff and communities (patients).
The main activities are:
- Raising awareness and providing training & knowledge
• Developing training materials/packages for health care workers
• Providing information material on signs and symptoms as well as risk factors of CRDs for patients and communities
• Facilitating group discussions and meetings with stakeholders and patients on CRDs
- Mapping of existing services and programs
• Conducting situation analysis and focus group discussions
• Listing of equipment and services available at different levels of health care
• Review of existing treatment guidelines and treatment strategies in the respective countries (Tanzania and Mozambique)
- Develop and assess the feasibility of a clinical pathway
• Together with the local stakeholders discuss and develop first steps towards the development of a referral pathway in CRD health care
• Discussing and describing activities and capacities at the individual health care level
• Introduction of diagnostic assessments for CRDs according to the developed clinical care pathway, the focus will be on primary care facilities
• Train and establish local trainers for key assessments, e.g. spirometry
The project will build on the existing capacities of the health systems in Tanzania and Mozambique to improve healthcare for patients with CRDs. It will further support and complement the governments' ongoing efforts to improve health outcomes for patients with non-communicable diseases in both Tanzania and Mozambique. The project aims to embed the capacities it seeks to develop directly into the framework set by the national health institutions in the form of the NTPs and NCDs care programs. The direct integration into these government-led institutions and the transfer of responsibilities from the outset is intended to avoid the need for a special handover process at the end of the funding period.
In our activities not only the pathway of respiratory care from primary to tertiary facilities is involved and further developed. We also create new cross-links to other parts of the health system such the National TB Programmes (NTPs) and infection clinics, where a relevant proportion of patients with (chronic) respiratory diseases is currently treated.
