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Evaluation of a laboratory capacity strengthening project: a case of the summative assessment of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) laboratory project 2010 - 2016
INTRODUCTION: Between September 2010 and September 2016, the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) implemented laboratory strengthening initiatives through a cooperative agreement with the International Laboratory Branch of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This project...
Autores principales: | , , , , , , , , |
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Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
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The African Field Epidemiology Network
2018
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Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6320445/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30637081 http://dx.doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2018.30.297.15693 |
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author | Kabugo, Humphrey Ashaba, Davis Mosha, Fausta Babirye, Rebecca Kihembo, Christine Maeda, Mercy Hay, Kerine Namusisi, Olivia Nsubuga, Peter |
author_facet | Kabugo, Humphrey Ashaba, Davis Mosha, Fausta Babirye, Rebecca Kihembo, Christine Maeda, Mercy Hay, Kerine Namusisi, Olivia Nsubuga, Peter |
author_sort | Kabugo, Humphrey |
collection | PubMed |
description | INTRODUCTION: Between September 2010 and September 2016, the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) implemented laboratory strengthening initiatives through a cooperative agreement with the International Laboratory Branch of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This project aimed at improving laboratory Quality Management Systems (QMS) towards accreditation in Africa and the Caribbean region and was implemented in 11 countries in the Caribbean and seven African countries. This paper describes the results of a summative evaluation that was commissioned at the end of the project. METHODS: The evaluation team comprised an external consultant who led the evaluation design and implementation and AFENET project staff. The evaluation was done in all 11 Caribbean and seven African countries where the project was implemented. We formulated three evaluation questions to focus and guide the exercise: 1) Were project activities implemented as originally intended? 2) Did the project achieve the objectives it was intended to accomplish over its life? 3) Are the impacts of project interventions likely to survive in the long run? We developed 14 sub-questions from the three evaluation questions and obtained data using a set of online questionnaires. We conducted validation visits to six participating countries; four in Africa and two in the Caribbean. RESULTS: Out of 14 sub-questions that were used to evaluate the project, six (43%) were fully achieved, six (43%) were partially achieved, and two (14%) were not achieved. In effect, > 80% of the sub-questions were either fully achieved or partially achieved. The most frequently mentioned success was the introduction of QMS in participating laboratories, which led to quality improvement in laboratory processes, participation in SLMTA (Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation)/SLIPTA (Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation) and attainment of accreditation by some of the project laboratories. However, there were neither clear plans nor budget lines to mainstream activities that were supported under the project into regular activities of the ministries of health of participating countries. CONCLUSION: The evaluation team concluded that there were adequate numbers of laboratorians trained in the FELTP laboratory track but only in Kenya. The DTS testing and biosafety programs were implemented and expanded in participating countries. HIV laboratory networks were strengthened in all participating countries and laboratory information systems were implemented in the Caribbean countries, but the basic laboratory information systems in the African countries were not implemented beyond pilot stages. There were no clear plans and budget lines provided by respective ministries of health to mainstream the activities that were supported under the project. The evaluation team recommended that AFENET develops a new laboratory strategic plan that could leverage the activities that were funded and implemented in the project. |
format | Online Article Text |
id | pubmed-6320445 |
institution | National Center for Biotechnology Information |
language | English |
publishDate | 2018 |
publisher | The African Field Epidemiology Network |
record_format | MEDLINE/PubMed |
spelling | pubmed-63204452019-01-11 Evaluation of a laboratory capacity strengthening project: a case of the summative assessment of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) laboratory project 2010 - 2016 Kabugo, Humphrey Ashaba, Davis Mosha, Fausta Babirye, Rebecca Kihembo, Christine Maeda, Mercy Hay, Kerine Namusisi, Olivia Nsubuga, Peter Pan Afr Med J Project Evaluation INTRODUCTION: Between September 2010 and September 2016, the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) implemented laboratory strengthening initiatives through a cooperative agreement with the International Laboratory Branch of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This project aimed at improving laboratory Quality Management Systems (QMS) towards accreditation in Africa and the Caribbean region and was implemented in 11 countries in the Caribbean and seven African countries. This paper describes the results of a summative evaluation that was commissioned at the end of the project. METHODS: The evaluation team comprised an external consultant who led the evaluation design and implementation and AFENET project staff. The evaluation was done in all 11 Caribbean and seven African countries where the project was implemented. We formulated three evaluation questions to focus and guide the exercise: 1) Were project activities implemented as originally intended? 2) Did the project achieve the objectives it was intended to accomplish over its life? 3) Are the impacts of project interventions likely to survive in the long run? We developed 14 sub-questions from the three evaluation questions and obtained data using a set of online questionnaires. We conducted validation visits to six participating countries; four in Africa and two in the Caribbean. RESULTS: Out of 14 sub-questions that were used to evaluate the project, six (43%) were fully achieved, six (43%) were partially achieved, and two (14%) were not achieved. In effect, > 80% of the sub-questions were either fully achieved or partially achieved. The most frequently mentioned success was the introduction of QMS in participating laboratories, which led to quality improvement in laboratory processes, participation in SLMTA (Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation)/SLIPTA (Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation) and attainment of accreditation by some of the project laboratories. However, there were neither clear plans nor budget lines to mainstream activities that were supported under the project into regular activities of the ministries of health of participating countries. CONCLUSION: The evaluation team concluded that there were adequate numbers of laboratorians trained in the FELTP laboratory track but only in Kenya. The DTS testing and biosafety programs were implemented and expanded in participating countries. HIV laboratory networks were strengthened in all participating countries and laboratory information systems were implemented in the Caribbean countries, but the basic laboratory information systems in the African countries were not implemented beyond pilot stages. There were no clear plans and budget lines provided by respective ministries of health to mainstream the activities that were supported under the project. The evaluation team recommended that AFENET develops a new laboratory strategic plan that could leverage the activities that were funded and implemented in the project. The African Field Epidemiology Network 2018-08-30 /pmc/articles/PMC6320445/ /pubmed/30637081 http://dx.doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2018.30.297.15693 Text en © Humphrey Kabugo et al. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ The Pan African Medical Journal - ISSN 1937-8688. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
spellingShingle | Project Evaluation Kabugo, Humphrey Ashaba, Davis Mosha, Fausta Babirye, Rebecca Kihembo, Christine Maeda, Mercy Hay, Kerine Namusisi, Olivia Nsubuga, Peter Evaluation of a laboratory capacity strengthening project: a case of the summative assessment of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) laboratory project 2010 - 2016 |
title | Evaluation of a laboratory capacity strengthening project: a case of the summative assessment of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) laboratory project 2010 - 2016 |
title_full | Evaluation of a laboratory capacity strengthening project: a case of the summative assessment of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) laboratory project 2010 - 2016 |
title_fullStr | Evaluation of a laboratory capacity strengthening project: a case of the summative assessment of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) laboratory project 2010 - 2016 |
title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of a laboratory capacity strengthening project: a case of the summative assessment of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) laboratory project 2010 - 2016 |
title_short | Evaluation of a laboratory capacity strengthening project: a case of the summative assessment of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) laboratory project 2010 - 2016 |
title_sort | evaluation of a laboratory capacity strengthening project: a case of the summative assessment of the african field epidemiology network (afenet) laboratory project 2010 - 2016 |
topic | Project Evaluation |
url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6320445/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30637081 http://dx.doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2018.30.297.15693 |
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