LifeNet International
2019 Annual Report

Transforming
African Healthcare.
Saving Lives.

Together in 2019, we…

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Saved the lives of 241 newborns who were born not breathing

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Improved the quality of care for 2,369,009 patient visit

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Tested 203,662 patients for HIV

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IMPROVED CARE FOR MOTHERS AND NEWBORNS IN 60,738 BABY DELIVERIES

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HELPED HEALTHCARE FACILITIES increase their patient volume by 144% after just one year of LifeNet partnership

Letter from the PRESIDENT

In the early years of LifeNet International, a Burundian pastor told our staff, “We have a word for what you do—you guherekeza. In Burundi, when friends leave your home it is the custom to walk with them until you’re certain they will reach their destination safely. That’s guherekeza.

Over the years, this pastor’s words have stuck with us and informed how we conduct our work with health facilities and health workers in sub-Saharan Africa.

The health facilities we work with are true partners and friends. Driven by our Christian commitment to heal the sick, we walk with our partners as they journey along the road to high-quality healthcare, sustainability, and holistic Christian ministry in their health facilities.

In 2019, we walked with 178 health facilities in Burundi, Uganda, Malawi, and the DRC, as they improved the quality of care for 2,369,009 patient visits, saving and improving the lives of some of the most vulnerable women, children, and men in the world.

In a world full of disheartening news, devastating health statistics, and ongoing instability, we believe there is reason to hope. There is hope in the face of every health worker who discovers a renewed sense of purpose, hope in the eyes of a mother whose newborn baby is successfully resuscitated, and hope in the hands of health facility staff who learn to integrate their faith into every area of their work. The stories and data contained in this report are a few of these signs of hope—signs that God is working through local church-run health facilities to bring hope and healing to underserved and vulnerable people in Africa.

Rooted in this hope, we will continue to “guherekeza” with our partner health facilities until every health worker is equipped and able to provide life-saving care to their patients. We hope you enjoy this behind-the-scenes look into our work together. Thank you for journeying with us!

With deep gratitude,

Dave Evans
President

The LifeNet Mission

LifeNet International transforms African health centers to provide quality, sustainable healthcare and save lives.

Our Christian faith and commitment to justice, compassion, and caring for the poor motivate our work. We believe that all people, made in the image of God, should have the opportunity to live healthy and whole lives.

The LifeNet Vision

Our 10-10-10 Vision

By 2023, LifeNet plans to operate in 10 countries, improving 10 million patient visits every year at an annual cost of $10 million.

$1 per patient visit improved

Where We Work

LifeNet’s total number of health facility partners
grew by 37% in 2019!

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Total catchment population for LifeNet Partner Facilities

How We Work

Health facilities receive the following services through LifeNet partnership. Together, we work to strengthen their existing health workforce and ensure that patients receive sustainable, compassionate, life-saving healthcare.

 

Medical Training

In-person training and mentoring in five modules of clinical care best practices.

Management Training

Four modules of in-person training in financial, human resources, and administrative best practices.

Pharmaceutical Supply

LifeNet provides health center partners with access to quality medicines at affordable prices.

Equipment Supply

LifeNet provides partners with essential medical equipment and supplies.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)

LifeNet provides ongoing, in-person, rigorous monitoring and evaluation alongside all interventions, ensuring long-term behavior change.

Highlights

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8 million patient visits improved since 2012

Duke Global Health Institute Study validated LifeNet’s impact on maternal & neonatal healthcare
(see here)

Awarded the 2019 “Best in Class – Medical” Henry Schein Cares Medal

Grew our health facility partnership network by 37% in just one year

Successfully concluded a cutting-edge NCD Pilot in Uganda leading to improved health outcomes for patients
(see here)

Spent just $1 per patient visit improved across all LifeNet partners

The Three Journeys

“In Burundi, when friends leave your home it is the custom to walk with them until you’re certain they will reach their destination safely.
That’s guherekeza.

We are committed to walking with our partners
as they progress on their journey toward…

Quality
Improvement

We address leading causes of preventable deaths through high-impact training.

Sustainability

We address leading causes of financial instability through targeted management training.

Christian Holism

We encourage facilities to integrate their Christian faith into their work to heal the sick in their communities.

THE JOURNEY TO QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Every day, 2,164 babies and 407 mothers in Africa die from preventable causes.

BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.

LifeNet walks with facilities on the journey to high-quality, lifesaving healthcare.

LifeNet training and mentoring addresses leading causes of death for mothers, newborns, and children, along with targeted training in infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and more.

LifeNet’s partner health facilities dramatically improve their quality of care through LifeNet training.

In 2019, health workers in our partner facilities saved 241 newborns by implementing the infant CPR they learned from LifeNet.

MEET BABY JADE

Stella Matovu is a new mom who recently gave birth to her son Jade at Nkoni Health Center, a LifeNet partner in Uganda. Read her account of their difficult experience below, in her own words.

“During my delivery, I had complications and the baby was born weak, tired, and needed help to breathe. Thankfully, God was on our side. The health workers acted quickly and were able to work on him and resuscitate him in a short time. Baby Jade perked up and was healthy within a few hours. We started breastfeeding and he has had no other issues thanks to the care we received.

I am very thankful to Nkoni Health Centre. Unlike other facilities I’ve visited, the Nkoni health workers are caring and they were there for me throughout my pregnancy and in my difficult delivery.”

-Stella Matovu (pictured below with Medina, a nurse from Nkoni Health Center)

 

2019 By the Numbers

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Health workers trained in clinical care best practices

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Improved patient visits

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Patients tested for HIV

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Malaria patient visits

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Deliveries improved

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Patients screened for hypertension and diabetes

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Pieces of equipment delivered

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Medicine deliveries to facilities

Quality Improvements
by the Numbers

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Health workers can perform infant CPR & save newborns

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Health workers can treat postpartum
hemorrhage & save mothers

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Health workers follow medical protocols for
handwashing, reducing infections and saving lives

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Health workers can perform infant assessments, identifying concerns and improving infant quality of life

BEFORE & AFTER LIFENET TRAINING

THE JOURNEY TO
SUSTAINABILITY

Prior to working with LifeNet, health facilities have a 9% rate of tracking daily revenues and expenses, leaving them at risk for financial instability and health facility closure.

BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.

LifeNet walks with facilities on the journey to sustainability, improving healthcare for some of the most vulnerable patients in the world.

FACILITIES DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THROUGH LIFENET PARTNERSHIP.

“For a while I stopped coming to this facility because many things were not being handled well.

For instance, the prices were not predicted and mostly very high, the cleanliness of the facility very poor and there was no security for our bicycles.

But this year we have seen a lot of changes happening: the place is clean, at the entrance there is always a person who welcome us and tell us how to go about in the facility and keep our properties safe, inside the facility we are warmly welcomed by the receptionist and prices of medicine are displayed on the wall and workers clearly explain every step you will take and how medicine have been charged. We are told all this is because they receive trainings from LifeNet.

– Jeffrey Gibson, Patient, Nakalanzi Health Centre, Malawi

Sustainability
improvements by
the numbers

ON AVERAGE, FACILITIES INCREASE THEIR PATIENT VOLUME BY 144% AFTER ONE YEAR OF LIFENET PARTNERSHIP, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING THEIR FACILITY SUSTAINABILITY.

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Health facility staff trained in management best practices

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Increase in average monthly revenue
per facility

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Facilities are tracking daily revenues and expenses, improving financial stability

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Facilities are performing performance reviews for staff, improving morale and sustainability

BEFORE & AFTER LIFENET TRAINING

The Journey to
Christian Holism

LifeNet walks with facilities on the journey to Christian holism, integrating faith into the foundations of its curricula and encouraging health workers and staff to treat each patient with compassion and respect as someone who bears the image of God.

“At LifeNet, we believe that every person, regardless of their social status, should receive the best quality care. As a Christian, I believe that this is a practical way to ‘preach the Good News to the poor.”

– Nadège Kabagenzi, LifeNet Uganda Operations Manager

“…and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

– Luke 9:2

Validated Impact:
Duke Study Results

BACKGROUND

The Duke Global Health Institute Evidence Lab conducted a 15-month study on the effects of LifeNet’s training on the quality of maternal and neonatal healthcare in six clinics in Masaka, Uganda. Twenty-four indicators of care were measured during the study.

STUDY RESULTS

“Our study provides evidence that the LifeNet clinical training intervention significantly improved maternal and neonatal healthcare quality at six primary care clinics in Uganda.”

SAMPLE RESULTS

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Increase in health provider adherence to proper hand washing, reducing infections

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Increase in sterile cord clamping, improving care for newborns

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Increase in partograph use (paper chart to track labor), improving care for mothers

Neonatal Mortality Observations

Although the study was not statistically powered to detect differences in mortality, the data observed did document a decrease in neonatal mortality at the conclusion of LifeNet training.

Observed data noted a decrease from a 27/1000 neonatal mortality rate to a 9/1000 neonatal mortality rate post-intervention.*

*Due to low numbers of reported deaths, additional studies would be required to more accurately measure these changes.

Special Project

NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES (NCDs):
IMPROVING OUTCOMES, CHANGING LIVES

NCDs cause 15 million premature deaths every year. LifeNet empowers community health facilities with the knowledge and tools they need to provide long-term care for patients with hypertension and type-II diabetes. We are improving health outcomes for these patients and changing lives.

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NCD screenings in 2019

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Reduction in blood glucose levels

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Patients screened for NCDs in 2019

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Reduction in Systolic Blood Pressure

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Increase in NCD patient volume in 10 facilities enrolled in LifeNet’s NCD program

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Reduction in Diastolic Blood Pressure

THE FACE OF NCDs:
MEET BABIRYE PEREPETWA

Meet Babirye Perepetwa, a patient who receives care for her hypertension from Nakasojjo Health Facility, a LifeNet partner facility that can now provide care for non-communicable diseases thanks to LifeNet training!

“I was seated at home praying when I suddenly felt dizzy. I stood up to go drink some water and that is when I collapsed on the floor. I was rushed to a hospital with a stroke. For a year, I received medication for my hypertension from the hospital. However, the distance to the hospital and the cost of the medicine was prohibitive. Around this time, a friend told me about the nearby Nakasojjo health facility that was running an NCD clinic.

The experience I received when I visited Nakasojjo was amazing. I was warmly welcomed and treated very well. I really felt at home. The cost of the medication at Nakasojjo is lower and the doctor understands my financial situation and allows to pay for my medication over time.

Now, I can walk to receive care from my local facility!”

Babirye Perepetwa is pictured here (middle of photo) with another patient and LifeNet staff member Collins Muhumuza.

2009-2012

Researching & prototyping solutions to the African healthcare crisis

2012

LifeNet launches the LifeNet Model of partnership with 10 faith-based health facilities in Burundi

2015

LifeNet expands to Uganda

2016

LifeNet expands to the DRC and reaches 1 million patient visits per year

A TIMELINE OF
TRANSFORMATION

2017

LifeNet expands to Malawi

2018

LifeNet grows its network to 130 health facilities, impacting 1.5 million patient visits per year

2019

LifeNet grows its network to 178 health facilities, and begins implementing its ambitious 10-10-10 vision

2020

LifeNet will expand its impact both in-country and into new areas, preparing for rapid scale over the next four years

TOTAL INCOME

$ 0
In-Kind Income $399,422
Cash Income $2,335,894

TOTAL EXPENSES

$ 0
Burundi* $915,589
Uganda $812,985
USA* $435,805
Malawi $313,290
DRC* $285,152

*In-kind expenses account for $49,580 of DRC expenses and $349,843 of Burundi expenses.

EXPENSES

Programs 84%
Admin & Fundraising 16%

-2019 unaudited financials

OUR WORK BUILDS ON AN EXISTING, SUBSTANTIAL ASSET BASE

Networks of faith-based health facilities in Africa hold large assets of human, process, and physical capital within their existing staffing, systems, and infrastructures. Lifenet’s partner facilities currently generate over $7.6 million in annual revenue on top of an asset base of $23 million.

We leverage these assets to dramatically improve quality of care at the low program cost of $1 per patient visit improved.

WE CAN't DO THIS ALONE

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Invest in local solutions to the African healthcare crisis.