The RHD Action Small Grants Programme: Small Investment, Big Return!
The RHD Action Small Grants Programme: Small Investment, Big Return!
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DOI：
10.5334/gh.996
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发表时间：
2021-04-27
期刊：
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
Zühlke LJ
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Abdullahi L;Albertus C;Perkins S;Ralston K;White A;Mwangi J;Zühlke LJ
风湿性心脏病(RHD)在低收入和中等收入国家(LMIC)仍然流行，尽管它在高收入国家几乎已被消灭。2015年，世界心脏联合会和REACH在乌干达和坦桑尼亚开展了示范项目，并得到了美敦力基金会的支持，发起了风湿病行动，以扩大控制风湿病的全球努力。小额赠款方案侧重于三个领域：人员和社区、药品和技术以及系统和服务。它旨在支持患者和社区团体提高认识、宣传，并建设卫生工作者预防和治疗LMICs风湿性心脏病的能力。我们的研究评估了RHD行动小额赠款方案的影响和效果。方法：我们进行了一项混合方法的研究，包括定量和定性调查，通过电话采访和在线调查赠款受益人，以评估小额赠款计划的影响和效果。向2017至2019年间获得项目资金的小额赠款项目主任和联席董事发出了使用谷歌表格格式完成在线调查的邀请。在线调查要求提供基本的项目信息，使用勾号框、利克特量表和简短的开放式问题回答获奖者的成功和面临的挑战。调查问卷还介绍了受助人在RHD行动小额赠款过程中的经验--申请赠款、为开展项目而获得的支助的性质和质量、报告过程以及所提供的任何媒体报道。在电话采访中，对简答式问题的回答被用作后续电话采访的基础。对深入讨论产生的新主题和反复出现的主题进行了记录、转录和主题分析。RHD行动于2017年启动，已为60份提交的提案中的21份提供了资金。受援国包括赞比亚、乌干达(2)、纳米比亚、肯尼亚、马拉维(2)、埃及、埃塞俄比亚、尼日利亚(3)、卢旺达(2)、莫桑比克和喀麦隆(2)以及斐济(2)、菲律宾和尼泊尔。2017年有5名获奖者获得资助，2018年和2019年分别有8名获奖者获得资助。项目主管主要是由资深导师监督的初级医生和项目经理。在大多数情况下，这是他们的第一个资金奖励。这些项目显示了切实的影响，并为专业会议上的第一稿和摘要提交和介绍提供了内容。赠款报告以网站故事的形式呈现，展示了具有实际影响的小型地方努力的成就。对于RHD Action来说，适度的金钱投资会带来巨大的回报，为热心的社区和提供商积极分子提供一个非常明显、可行的全球RHD网络平台。
Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) remains endemic in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) despite its virtual elimination in high-income countries. RHD Action was launched to amplify global efforts to control RHD in 2015 by World Heart Federation and Reach, with demonstration projects in Uganda and Tanzania, and support from Medtronic Foundation. The Small Grants Programme focuses on three domains: People and Communities, Medicines and Technologies, and Systems and Services. It is designed to support patient and community groups in promoting awareness, advocacy, and to build health workers’ capacity to prevent and treat RHD in LMICs. Our study evaluates the impact and effectiveness of the RHD Action Small Grants Programme. Methods: We conducted a mixed method study that involved both quantitative and qualitative surveys, through phone interviews and online surveys amongst the grant beneficiaries, to assess the impact and effectiveness of the small grant programme. An invitation to complete an online survey, using a Google Forms format, was issued to Small Grant Project Directors and Co-Directors that received funding for projects between 2017 and 2019. The online survey requested basic project information using tick boxes, Likert scales, and short answer open-ended questions about successes and challenges faced by recipients. The questionnaire also addressed recipients’ experience with the RHD Action Small Grants process – applying for the grant, nature and quality of support received to carry out project, the reporting process, and any media coverage provided. For the phone interviews, responses to the short-answer questions were used as the basis for follow up phone interviews. The discussions were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed for new and recurring themes emerging from the in-depth discussions. Initiated in 2017, RHD Action has funded 21 proposals from a pool of 60 submissions. Recipient countries include Zambia, Uganda (2), Namibia, Kenya, Malawi (2), Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria (3), Rwanda (2), Mozambique, and Cameroon (2) as well as Fiji (2), the Philippines and Nepal. Five recipients were funded in 2017, eight in 2018 and eight in 2019. Project directors are primarily junior doctors and project managers supervised by senior mentors. In most cases, this is their first funding award. These projects have demonstrated tangible impact and have provided content for first manuscript and abstract submissions and presentations at professional conferences. Grant reports are presented as website stories showcasing the achievements of small local efforts with meaningful impact. For RHD Action, there is large return on a modest monetary investment resulting in a very visible, viable global RHD networking platform for enthusiastic community and provider activists.