Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Description

South Africa is home to the world’s largest HIV epidemic with an estimated 6.1 million adults and children living with HIV in 2012 (UNAIDS). The country also ranks third among countries with the highest burden of TB in the world after India and China, two countries that have much larger populations (WHO 2012), with also increasing incidence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB. To address the HIV epidemic, South Africa has scaled up HIV clinical services to over 3500 public health facilities providing antiretroviral treatment (ART) to over 2.5 million adults and children by the end of 2013 (NDOH), with an aim to reach 4.6 million individuals with ART by 2016. This scale-up has been achieved using a decentralized nurse-led model, while strengthening information systems, laboratory systems, public sector delivery of ARVs, and the implementation of all aspects of the DOH PHC re-engineering strategy. This has been supported by PEPFAR implementing partners who work closely with national, provincial, district and sub-district management structures to support decentralization, integration, health systems strengthening, quality improvement/assurance and sustainability. Since the signing of the Partnership Framework between the South African Government and the US government (2010), PEPFAR partners have shifted their support from direct service delivery to technical assistance, supporting district and subdistrict management structures as well as clinical service delivery sites in all 52 districts in the nine provinces of South Africa, to sustainably deliver quality clinical services. In 2013, PEPFAR, NDOH, and PEPFAR implementing partners further highlighted key priorities for the treatment program to address gaps in service delivery and reflect current national health service reform policies. These include pediatric and adolescent services, retention and adherence for all patients on ART, treatment of TB, including all forms of drug-resistant TB, PMTCT cascade, integration with family planning, prevention, and maternal child health and nutrition services. National priorities such as ideal clinics and strengthening information systems are also emphasized. In line with updated national priorities, this award seeks to improve the effectiveness and quality of HIV/AIDS programs, decrease the burden of HIV, AIDS and TB, and reduce child and maternal deaths, contributing to the care, support, treatment, and sustainability goals of the Partnership Framework Implementation Plan (PFIP) and National Strategic Plan on HIV/TB/STIs, 2012-2016 (NSP). It builds upon previous PEPFAR support to ensure continuing technical assistance to all levels of South African Department of Health, as outlined in the Five Year Transition Strategy, with an aim to improve, expand, manage, and sustain the decentralized delivery of comprehensive, integrated HIV/AIDS services throughout South Africa. It reflects updated SAG priorities and health systems strengthening in many areas including planning and management, laboratory and information systems, supply chain delivery, and human resource management.

Who can apply

• Others

Contact

Thomas Warne, Project Officer<br/>ivf3@cdc.gov <br/>
ivf3@cdc.gov