Rapidly responding to policy queries with evidence: Learning from rapid response services in Uganda: Learning from rapid response services in Uganda

The Rapid Response Service (RRS) is a knowledge translation service in Uganda that responds to a decision maker’s needs for evidence with synthesised relevant evidence, contextualised and summarised in an accessible package. The evidence from the RRS was used in different ways, leading to the mandatory food fortification policy after a voluntary food fortification programme, sensitising stakeholders to implement a controversial misoprostol distribution programme to reduce postpartum haemorrhage, and to reduce the turnaround time for diagnosis of tuberculosis. The document review included both published and unpublished documents related to the RRS food fortification programme and health services delivery at the district level. The Ugandan health care system is largely decentralised, with most primary services provided by local governments at the district or lower sub-county level, covering health care service delivery and implementation of primary health care. The district also used evidence of the successful distribution of misoprostol to sensitise the community and health care workers.