The HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment, and Care Malawi: Cross-Cutting
Abstract
Since 2009, Project Concern International (PCI) has shared the commitment of the U.S. Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP) to improve the lives of uniformed personnel in the Malawi Defense Force (MDF), their families and communities infected and affected by HIV/AIDS by implementing a capacity building program that continues to make great strides in reaching the most affected. This collaboration has produced service delivery, leadership capacity development, and health systems strengthening progress and results, and increased demand for integrated HIV/AIDS services. Through PCI support to improve access, availability, quality and uptake of HIV/AIDS services, MDF has been able to intensify HIV/AIDS interventions, improve service delivery across the continuum of care, and adapt international standards and evidence-based best practices. New opportunities for improving outcomes and achieving sustainable impact are available with the approval and anticipated roll-out of the Malawi Guidelines for Clinical Management of HIV in Children and Adults (2016), which has made the test and treat/start strategy an integral part of HIV testing and ART service delivery. The Malawi Military Health Services (MAMHS) needs additional support, however, to deliver, as well as increase coverage, demand and uptake of, quality integrated HIV services, in particular HIV testing and HIV clinical care and treatment services. Under the proposed project, PCI will deepen its capacity strengthening efforts and incorporate sustainability readiness approaches to continue transitioning program ownership to MDF, including mentoring the MDF to lead the planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of interventions. MDF leaders will also be supported to continue to foster an enabling environment that reduces stigma and discrimination and supports human rights, gender and social norm change. The proposed project is designed to build on achievements of the PCI/MDF collaboration to date and other PEPFAR and non-USG investments and contribute to meeting Malawi’s 90-90-90 targets, while refining strategies to reflect current evidence, national priorities, and implementation guidelines. The program’s capacity building and sustainability approaches will foster the continued transition of program leadership, management and ownership to MDF, systems strengthening, and transfer of competencies for sustained, need-driven implementation at ever increasing scale. MDF leadership will be mentored to lead the planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of interventions. MDF leaders will also continue to foster an enabling environment that reduces stigma and discrimination and supports human rights, gender and social norm change, and youth-friendly services. PCI’s approach to implementation will be evidence-based and standards-based to include biomedical, behavioral, and quality assurance/improvement interventions. PCI will continue to strengthen the MDF to implement integrated HIV treatment and care and prevention interventions that are aligned with the 2012-2017 MDF HIV Strategic Plan, the Malawi Guidelines for Clinical Management of HIV in Children and Adults (2016), the Malawi Guidelines for HIV Testing and Counseling, PEPFAR Prevention Guidance (2011), the U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender Based Violence Globally, the 2009 PEPFAR Partnership Framework and the PEPFAR Country Operations Plan. The project will strengthen MDF capacity to deliver expanded HIV testing services, to strengthen clinical monitoring of ART clients, improve and scale-up laboratory services in support of treatment monitoring, support an increased focus on identifying people living with HIV (PLHIV) and enrolling them in care and an increase focus on pediatric case finding, while ensuring quality data collection, analysis and use for decision-making. Additionally, troop-level HIV prevention education, Positive Health Dignity and Prevention (PH
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 05, 2017
- Source ID
- N002441710020
Entities
People
- Carol Makoane