Isangula, Kahabi
Philbert, Doreen
Ngari, Florence
Ajeme, Tigest
Kimaro, Godfather
Yimer, Getnet
Mnyambwa, Nicholaus P.
Muttamba, Winters
Najjingo, Irene
Wilfred, Aman
Mshiu, Johnson
Kirenga, Bruce
Wandiga, Steve
Mmbaga, Blandina Theophil
Donard, Francis
Okelloh, Douglas
Mtesha, Benson
Mohammed, Hussen
Semvua, Hadija
Ngocho, James
Mfinanga, Sayoki
Ngadaya, Esther
Funding for this research was provided by:
European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership 2 (EDCTP2) program supported by the European Union (CSA2016S-1608)
Article History
Received: 26 December 2022
Accepted: 9 February 2023
First Online: 14 March 2023
Declarations
:
: All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations<b><i>.</i></b> The study received ethics clearances from ethical boards in each country as well as local approvals from appropriate local authorities It received ethical clearances from the National Institute for Medical Research in Tanzania (NIMR/HQ/R.8A/Vol IX/2629), Mulago Research Ethics Committee in Uganda (MHREC 1339), KEMRI Scientific and Ethics Review Unit in Kenya, (SERU PROTOCOL 3625) Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. At the health facility level, verbal approvals were sought from the managers of the selected facilities from where participants were recruited after providing letters from the district medical officers and copies of ethical clearance. We ensured responsible conduct of research by obtaining informed consent prior to the interviews where participants were made aware of the study purpose, risks, and benefits before the interviews and those willing were requested to sign the consent forms. The study did not directly or indirectly expose participants to any diagnosis or treatment. As safeguards, all study responses were kept confidential, and data analysis and reporting were conducted at an aggregated level within the coordinating country. Further, all data gathered were not used for purposes other than the present research. Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, face masks, sanitisers, and social distancing were used to mitigate infection transmission during fieldwork activities.
: Not applicable.
: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.