Mission | History | Organizational structure | Where we work
The Delivery of Improved Services for Health (DISH) II Project was a project committed to improving quality, availability and utilization of reproductive, maternal and child health services, and enhancing public health attitudes, knowledge and practices in Uganda.

Several partners collaborated on the project: the Ugandan government's Ministry of Health (MOH), the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (JHU/CCP) (the lead grantee), the University of North Carolina Program in International Training and Health (INTRAH), Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and the Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Reproductive Health (JHPIEGO).

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through a bilateral agreement with the central MOH, funded the DISH project at US$17.7 million. The DISH II Project, which was one of Uganda's largest reproductive health programs, was implemented in 12 of the country's 56 districts: Kampala, Jinja, Kamuli, Masindi, Nakasongola, Luwero, Masaka, Rakai, Sembambule, Mbarara, Ntungamo and Kasese.

DISH Mission

To promote health and the quality of life by increasing service utilization and changing behavior related to reproductive maternal and child health in 12 of Uganda's 56 districts.

The DISH Project aimed to:

• Make good quality maternal, child and reproductive health services more widely available;
• Improve district capacity to support good quality health services;
• Encourage healthy practices among individuals, families and communities;
• Document, evaluate, and share lessons learned with others.       Top

DISH History

The Delivery of Improved Services for Health (DISH) began its first five-year phase in 1994 and the second three-year phase in 1999. DISH II built on successes achieved during its first five years of DISH I and continued to work with the Ministry of Health and District Health Services to promote improved quality, availability and utilization of reproductive, maternal and child health services, and to improve public health attitudes, knowledge and practices.

DISH I was administered by Pathfinder International (PI). Collaborating partners were the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the University of North Carolina Program in International Training in Health (INTRAH) and E. Petrich and Associates. Responsibilities:

• Pathfinder International: Project management, monitoring and evaluation, health management and information systems (HMIS) and contraceptive logistics support and community based programs;
• JHU/CCP: Information, education and communication;
• INTRAH: Training and clinical services; and
• E. Petric and Associates: Health Financing.

In 1999, the DISH Project was re-structured under a revised scope of work and responsibilities included:

• JHU/CCP: Project management, monitoring and evaluation, support to the Family Life Education Project and behavior change communication;
• INTRAH: Training and clinical services;
• Johns Hopkins International Education in Reproductive Health (JHPIEGO): Assistance to long-term and permanent family planning methods and emergency obstetric care programs; and
• Management Sciences for Health (MSH): HMIS support, drug and contraceptive logistics support, quality assurance and health financing.       Top

Organizational Structure

The DISH Project was composed of five valuable and unique components working together to fulfill its mission. Click here to see a detailed chart of the organizational structure.

Finance/Administration
This sector of the organization managed all financial, administrative and logistical details for the project. It consisted of accountants, secretaries, receptionist, office attendants/messengers, cleaners and drivers.

Behavior Change Communication (BCC)
Through multi-channel campaigns, DISH assisted the districts to promote family planning, improved infant feeding practices, child health, immunisations, safe motherhood, malaria control, STD management, HIV/AIDS prevention, voluntary HIV testing and counseling, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and health facilities that meet basic standards of quality. Each campaign included centrally produced print and mass media materials as well as district organized community outreach activities.

Training, Supervision & Clinical Services
This component of DISH assisted project districts to train, equip and supervise service providers to offer:

• Family planning, including surgical contraception
• Maternal health
• STD management and HIV counseling
• Integrated management of childhood illnesses
• Adolescent reproductive health
• Post-abortion care
• Emergency obstetric and sick child care

Health Management and Quality Assurance
This component of DISH worked with the districts to improve the standard of care at health facilities and to establish support systems for achieving and maintaining quality services by:

• Improving procurement, distribution and storage of drugs and contraceptives
• Strengthening the health management information system and utilization of data for planning
• Improving supervision and quality of health services and monitoring its impact
• Developing management capacity in health sub-districts
• Supporting improved approaches to health care financing

Research and Evaluation
This department worked closely with the districts and the Measure project to monitor and evaluate the impact of project interventions through surveys and service statistics. R&E also designed and conducted special and formative studies to develop and evaluate specific project interventions.           Top

Where We Work

The Delivery of Improved Services for Health (DISH) project, which was funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), was implemented in 12 of Uganda's 56 districts. The 12 districts were Kampala, Jinja, Kamuli, Masindi, Nakasongola, Luwero, Masaka, Rakai, Ssembabule, Mbarara, Ntungamo, and Kasese. Click on a highlighted district below to view its profile.