Health Economic Evaluation Training Workshop

Venue: Esella Country Hotel                       Date: 13-17th July 2026

Executive Summary

The Uganda National Institute of Public Health (UNIPH) Data Impact Program, with support from the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) in collaboration with CDC foundation, conducted a specialized five-day training workshop on Health Economics Evaluation at Esella Country Hotel in Wakiso District from 13th to 17th July 2026. This intensive training served as a follow-up session to previous capacity-building initiatives and targeted a multidisciplinary cohort of public health professionals. The workshop successfully equipped 2025 cohort fellows including: Advanced FETP Fellows, LLP Fellows, Health Informatics Fellows, and PhD Fellows from the Linda Familia Project with essential technical competencies in health economic evaluation methodologies, modeling techniques, and policy analysis. By the conclusion of the training, participants had developed seven comprehensive policy briefs and demonstrated proficiency in using decision trees, AMUA software, and Excel-based modeling tools to inform evidence-based health policy decisions.

1.0. Background

The Uganda National Institute of Public Health (UNIPH), through its Data Impact Program, has consistently prioritized strengthening the capacity of public health professionals in advanced analytical and evaluation techniques. Recognizing the growing need for economic evidence to inform health policy decisions in Uganda and the broader African region, UNIPH partnered with the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) to deliver this specialized training module.

This workshop represented a follow-up to previous sessions and was designed to address the critical gap in health economics evaluation skills among field epidemiologists, health informaticians, and public health researchers. The training aimed to empower fellows with the ability to conduct rigorous economic evaluations that could directly inform resource allocation decisions, priority-setting, and policy formulation within Uganda’s health sector and beyond.

The workshop brought together a diverse group of trainees from various programs, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of modern public health practice and the recognition that economic evaluation requires expertise from multiple domains.

1.2. Workshop Objectives

The overarching goal of this five-day intensive workshop was to equip participants with the technical knowledge and practical skills required for conducting comprehensive health economics evaluations. Specific objectives included:

1. Understanding Economic Evaluation Frameworks: To enable fellows to frame economic evaluation questions appropriately, define analytical perspectives, and select suitable interventions for comparison.
2. Developing Modeling Competencies: To train participants in building decision tree models using both Microsoft Excel and specialized software (AMUA) for assessing health impacts of policy options.
3. Mastering Cost Analysis: To provide hands-on experience in identifying, measuring, and valuing resources used in health programs and calculating expected values of interventions.
4. Applying Economic Evaluation Methods: To deepen understanding of various methodologies including cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) and cost-utility analysis (CUA).
5. Addressing Uncertainty: To equip fellows with skills in sensitivity analysis to test the robustness of economic evaluation findings.
6. Producing Policy-Relevant Outputs: To enable participants to translate complex economic data into actionable policy briefs that can inform national health policy decisions.

2.0. Target Audience

The workshop targeted a multidisciplinary group of trainees from the 2025 cohorts, including:

• Advanced FETP Fellows (Cohort 2025): Field epidemiologists from the Field Epidemiology Training Program
• LLP Fellows (Cohort 2025): Participants in the Leadership and Learning Program
• Health Informatics Fellows (Cohort 2025): Specialists in health information systems and data management
• PhD Fellows from the Linda Familia Project: Doctoral candidates engaged in family health and community-based research

This diverse composition facilitated rich interdisciplinary dialogue and collaborative learning experiences throughout the workshop.

3. Methodology

The workshop employed a blended learning approach combining theoretical instruction, practical demonstrations, hands-on computer-based exercises, and group work sessions. The methodology was designed to maximize participant engagement and ensure practical application of concepts:

3.1 Training Approaches

• Interactive Lectures: Facilitators delivered content through engaging presentations that encouraged questions and discussions
• Computer-Based Practical Sessions: Participants worked directly with Microsoft Excel and AMUA software to build and refine models
• Case Study-Based Learning: Real-world policy scenarios were used to contextualize theoretical concepts
• Group Work and Mentorship: Fellows worked on their specific projects under the guidance of experienced mentors
• Peer Review and Presentations: Participants presented their work for constructive feedback from both facilitators and peers
• Plenary Sessions: Formal presentations allowed groups to share findings and learn from each other’s work

• Breakout spaces for group work sessions
• Internet connectivity for software access and research

4.0 Key Findings

The workshop generated several important findings and achieved significant outcomes:

4.1 Capacity Building Achievements

• Enhanced Technical Competence: All participating fellows demonstrated improved proficiency in health economics evaluation methodologies, with marked progress from pre-workshop to post-workshop assessments.
• Software Proficiency: Participants acquired working knowledge of both Microsoft Excel and AMUA software for decision tree modeling and economic analysis.
• Application Readiness: Fellows showed capacity to apply economic evaluation skills to their respective program areas and research projects.

4.2 Policy Relevant Outputs

• Seven Policy Briefs: The development of seven policy briefs represents a tangible contribution to evidence-informed policymaking. These briefs synthesize complex economic data into accessible formats suitable for decision-makers.
• Multidisciplinary Collaboration: The diverse composition of participant groups facilitated cross-learning and the integration of different perspectives into the policy briefs.

4.3 Identified Strengths

• Strong commitment and engagement from all participants throughout the five-day intensive training
• Effective mentorship model that supported practical application of concepts
• Relevance of training content to current health policy challenges in Uganda
• High quality of final presentations, indicating successful knowledge transfer

Recommendation

Based on the experiences and outcomes of this workshop, the following recommendations are proposed:

1. Sustained Capacity Building: Establish ongoing mentorship and refresher training opportunities to reinforce skills and support application in practice. Time has agreed to instill weekly zoom sessions to mentor on various areas.
2. Integration into Curricula: Consider integrating health economics evaluation modules into the core curricula of FETP, Health Informatics, and other public health training programs.
3. Software and Resource Access: Explore options for providing continued access to AMUA software and other modeling tools for participants beyond the training period.
4. Policy Engagement: Facilitate opportunities for fellows to present their policy briefs to relevant policymakers and stakeholders to maximize impact.
5. Longitudinal Evaluation: Conduct follow-up assessments to evaluate how participants are applying their economic evaluation skills in their work settings.
6. Regional Collaboration: Explore opportunities for sharing this training model with other AFENET member countries to build regional capacity in health economics evaluation

 Conclusions

The Health Economics Evaluation Workshop conducted by the UNIPH Data Impact Program in collaboration with AFENET successfully achieved its objectives of building technical capacity among the 2025 cohort of public health professionals. The five-day intensive training provided fellows from diverse backgrounds with the essential skills to conduct rigorous economic evaluations, build decision tree models, perform sensitivity analysis, and translate findings into policy-relevant outputs.

The production of seven policy briefs represents a concrete outcome that demonstrates the application of learning to real-world public health challenges. These briefs have the potential to inform resource allocation decisions, strengthen priority-setting processes, and contribute to evidence-based health policy development in Uganda.

The workshop’s success reflects the commitment of UNIPH and AFENET to strengthening the public health workforce and promoting the use of economic evidence in decision-making. The multidisciplinary nature of the participant cohort, combined with the practical, hands-on training approach, created a rich learning environment that facilitated both individual skill development and collaborative problem-solving.

As the 2025 cohorts continue their respective programs, the skills acquired during this workshop will equip them to contribute more effectively to health systems strengthening and policy development through the lens of economic evaluation. The investment in this training represents a strategic contribution to building sustainable capacity for health economics analysis within Uganda’s public health sector.

Training schedule