Strengthening HIV Testing, Care, and Treatment with the Forcas Armadas de Defensa de Mozambique (FADM)
Abstract
Jhpiego proposes a three-year program for $4,740,000 to strengthen HIV testing, care and treatment within the Forças Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique (FADM). The proposed program aims to reduce the number of new HIV infections and other sexually transmitted diseases among members of the FADM, their families and the civilian communities served by the FADM. By the end of the program, 90% of military personnel will know their HIV status; antiretroviral therapy (ART) services will reach more military and civilians (including 2,000 and 1,600, respectively, newly enrolled in ART); 95% of pregnant or breastfeeding women in the target population will be reached with Option B+ services; and high-quality HIV and TB services will be integrated at FADM sites. Jhpiego will support FADM to prevent HIV infection and strengthen their capacity to provide ART, including proactively exploring with FADM and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) the feasibility of using a “test and treat” approach to ensure immediate linkage and access to treatment. The program’s activities will improve HIV testing services (HTS) and linkage to care, ART enrollment, diagnosis and treatment of TB co-infection, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, clinical laboratory services and HIV clinical monitoring. To reach military personnel with HIV services and minimize stigma and discrimination, Jhpiego will integrate activities into a comprehensive health program using the chronic care model. Using this framework, Jhpiego will strengthen services, patient self-care, community and institutional support, and data-driven decisions. Jhpiego will scale-up HTS and link HIV+ military personnel to treatment, using mechanisms such as an annual check-up and consultations at the workplace for all members of the military as non-discriminatory entry points for HTS and treatment. Jhpiego will promote a military-friendly image and operation of military health facilities. Mobile clinics will expand the reach of integrated HIV and TB services to military personnel in sites without fixed facilities. In addition to regular screenings, health fairs will further promote and implement testing and linkage to treatment and an index-case approach will improve casefinding and linkage to care and treatment. Jhpiego will train FADM providers in a package of HIV and TB diagnosis, care and treatment, and provide post-training follow-up for trained providers. Jhpiego will work with FADM to optimize HIV and TB services by re-engineering and improving the safety of patient flow in high-volume sites. Jhpiego will also train providers in workplace safety and post-exposure prophylaxis and will ensure that appropriate personal protective equipment and waste disposal equipment and procedures are in place. Jhpiego will assess the completeness and accuracy of the current longitudinal patient tracking system to determine what gaps exist and develop a plan to address those gaps. Jhpiego will improve the current, basically paper-based, patient tracking system and will work to put in place an electronic patient tracking system (EPTS), cloud-based, to facilitate tracking clients across static and mobile sites. To ensure that services meet high standards of quality and are sustainable, Jhpiego will promote continuous compliance with protocols and guidelines and will strengthen internal and external supervision mechanisms. Jhpiego will optimize efficiency by linking this program with its DOD-funded HIV prevention project, looking for synergies and shared use of equipment and staff for selected activities. Jhpiego will take advantage of its current safe male circumcision (SMC) project with the military to link HIV+ men identified through SMC to care and treatment and to identify uncircumcised men through health fairs and annual physicals and link them to SMC services. By the end of the program, Jhpiego will have transferred responsibility for program activities to the FADM.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 11, 2016
- Source ID
- N002441610015
Entities
People
- Deborah Bossemeyer
Organizations
- United States Department of Defense