University Research Corporation (URC) implements Tibu Homa, which is Swahili for Treat Fever, in the Lake Zone. The goal of the project is to reduce morbidity and mortality of children under-five years of age due to severe febrile illness. Through strategic linkages with other child health programs in the Lake Zone, Tibu Homa will target most vulnerable children, including those infected with HIV, with quality health services. The three main objectives of the program are to increase availability and accessibility to fundamental facility-based curative and preventive child health services; ensure sustainability of critical child health activities; and increase linkages within the community to promote healthy behaviors, thereby increasing knowledge and use of child health services.

Tibu Homa targets more than 1.3 million children under-five in Mwanza, Kagera, and Mara. The program is implemented in collaboration with the local government and aligned with national program priorities, responding to all of the Intermediate Results in the USG/T GHI strategy. The program emphasizes collaboration among partners to improve efficiencies and works with the private sector to promote corporate social responsibility. URC also helps regional and district health management teams to appropriately allocate and advocate for resources for child health. For effective monitoring and evaluation, the program trains regional and district officials in program M&E activities. An advantage for data collection and utilization is that the project M&E data management system is already linked to the national health management information system.

URC is an international organization that primarily assists MOHSW in managing its national quality improvement (QI) program. Tibu Homa is a child health program that is being implemented in the Lake Zone to decrease child morbidity and mortality resulting from febrile illnesses. Through strategic program linkages with OVC and pediatric AIDS programs, Tibu Homa will target HIV-infected children health services as part of a continuum of care initiative aimed at improving the health and well-being of vulnerable children.

Tibu Homa is aligned with PEPFARs OVC priority of enhancing program integration to maximize effectiveness, as demonstrated through collaboration with PACT and other partners to increase linkages between vulnerable households and facilities to improve health outcomes of most vulnerable children; providing technical assistance to OVC and pediatric care service providers in integrated management of childhood illnesses; and documenting best practices in health and HIV program integration and child-focused continuum of care programming. The strategies also respond to various GHI Intermediate Results, particularly of improving case management of children under five, improving health support systems, and improving early health care-seeking behaviors.

There is evidence that shows linkages between community and facility-based services are weak, resulting in inefficiencies and gaps in continuum of care services. Due to this information, program strategies are based on identified gaps in provision of continuum of care services for vulnerable children, particularly children under-five years old. Through enhanced community and facility linkages, increased numbers of vulnerable children will be treated for malaria and other febrile illnesses, in addition to being identified for HIV testing and treatment, as needed. These interventions will result in improved health outcomes for vulnerable children, particularly for children under-five years.