Informing policy with rapid evidence.
Providing policymakers across Africa with immediate access to grounded, locally-relevant research synthesised for urgent decision-making.
e.g. “climate adaptation Uganda” · “maternal health Rwanda”
81
Evidence Products
79
Evidence Briefs
2
Gap Maps
Policy Highlights &
Trending Synthesis
Rapid Response Brief: Interventions to Reduce Perinatal Mortality Burden in Health Facilities in Mukono District
Mukono district in Uganda continues to experience a substantial burden of perinatal deaths despite official statistics suggesting rates near global targets. The 2025 District Health Information System (DHIS2) data shows a perinatal mortality rate of 11 deaths per 1000 births, but policymakers believe this underestimates the true burden. This brief synthesizes evidence on interventions to reduce perinatal mortality in health facilities, focusing on antepartum and intrapartum periods. Perinatal deaths, including stillbirths and early neonatal deaths, are largely driven by intrapartum complications, infections, respiratory disorders, low birth weight, prematurity, and maternal sickness. Antepartum interventions emphasize early risk identification through strengthened antenatal care, folic acid supplementation, and fetal monitoring. Intrapartum interventions focus on effective labor monitoring, adherence to care around delivery practices, and newborn vaccination. To reduce perinatal mortality in Mukono, it is crucial to improve antenatal care quality, increase awareness of risk factors among pregnant women, empower health workers for timely maternal and fetal monitoring, and ensure adherence to the eight care around delivery practices across health facilities.
Tools Adapted for Screening Cognitive Impairment Among the Elderly at the Community Level in Africa
In Uganda, between 7.2% and 20% of individuals over 60 years old live with dementia, with increasing signs of cognitive impairment observed in communities such as Mukono district. Early identification and management of cognitive impairment (CI) are critical to prevent progression to severe stages. This brief synthesizes evidence on tools adapted for screening cognitive impairment among elderly populations in low-income African settings. Commonly adapted tools for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) include the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Ascertain Dementia 8-item questionnaire (AD8), Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-Cog), and Community Screening Instrument for Dementia (CSI-D). For dementia, tools such as the Identification of Dementia in Elderly Africans (IDEA) cognitive screen and AD8 are used. These tools have been culturally adapted and modified to accommodate low literacy levels, demonstrating high reliability in identifying MCI and dementia in resource-limited settings. However, effective management requires a functional referral system for definitive diagnosis. The brief highlights the importance of culturally appropriate screening tools to raise awareness and inform policy and health service planning in African contexts.