Table 3.

Description of the state of the BP machines from observations and interviews

Study period	Intervention clinics	Control clinics
January to June 2014	Two clinics stopped using electronic machines due to faulty cuffs and used manual machines. In one clinic the machine did not function properly and readings were unreliable.	Generally all electronic BP machines were functioning well. Although all cuffs were wearing out.
	Cuffs for electronic machines provided to all clinics
July 2014 to March 2015	Cuffs for manual machines were still a problem. Electronic machines themselves began to develop problems as a result of overuse.	Little information in this period
April 2015 to August 2015	Problems with the electronic BP machines increased (with the on/off button not working, or the machine not clearing the data in preparation for the next patient). At the end of the period three of the four intervention clinics had their machines sent for repair. Clinic managers had little hope of getting them back soon. Cuffs supplied by study had started wearing out.	Early in this phase one clinic sent its machines for servicing, but it was not returned by the end of study. Two clinics doubted the accuracy of readings and used a manual machine to confirm a high reading. Cuffs supplied by study had started wearing out.

BP, blood pressure.