Sunday, November 24, 2024
11/24/2024
Circle of Hope (COH) and partner Catholic Relief Services (CRS) will implement the Boosting Community-Based Index Texting in Zambia project (BCBIT-Z), using evidence-based interventions to prevent HIV through scale up of community-based index testing, linkage to treatment and follow up of all patients who miss appointments in target provinces supported under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). BCBIT-Z will build the capacity of partners to continuously improve index testing and increase efficiency of community health workers (CHWs) to reach more clients with high-quality testing services for increased HIV case finding. Community Posts (CPs) are an evidence-based model of comprehensive provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services and HIV case identification that includes testing through various modalities, better elicitation of all identified positives, psychosocial counseling and treatment services that have proven to increase efficiency of CHWs and Community-based volunteers (CBVs), extend index testing to target populations and reduce loss to follow up (LTFU). There are currently 120 CPs in Zambia. Sub-community posts (Sub-posts) are linked to rural health facilities and provide mobile testing and linkage services within communities, based on community needs and according to Zambia Ministry of Health (MOH) guidelines. In areas where there are no CPs, Community Units of CHWs linked to health clinics and health posts will be trained and supported to provide index testing and linkages to treatment in the community. Through CPs, Sub-posts and Community Units, communities and facilities are linked more closely to improve access to delineated, essential and easily accessible HIV services. Support will be provided to implementing partners to expand the CP, Sub-post and Community Unit model. Monitoring and evaluation will be provided by health facility staff. Enhanced electronic health records systems will improve data utilization. BCBIT-Z will support epidemic control through Community engagement to improve case finding, early identification and timely linkages, reduce stigma and prevent LTFU. Implementation of a Customer Care approach and engagement of the faith community will ensure client-centered, respectful care to improve adherence and prevent LTFU. Differentiated service delivery models, social networking strategies and targeted messaging will improve service delivery to target populations, increase capacity and efficiency of CHWs to reach people living with HIV (PLHIV) throughout target provinces and keep them in care. Improved Data Collection, Coordination and Utilization will improve case finding, index testing, and interface of data systems from the community to facility level to inform decision-making and quality improvement. SmartCare and SmartCare Lite systems will be refined to improve adherence, retention and follow-up, manage facility volume and drug distribution and maintain clients in care. Recommendations will be made to improve ease of use for CHWs, facilitate the transition to electronic health records, increase collection of individual patient data, include systematic feedback, build capacity for real-time community data collection and simplify reporting. Training and Capacity Building will increase skills of CHWs and healthcare providers throughout the continuum of care, increase coordination between communities and facilities and build capacity of community- based organizations (CBOs), community leaders and networks of PLHIV to reduce LTFU and bring defaulters back into care. Technical assistance and ongoing mentoring will improve the capacity of health officials at provincial, district, facility and community levels to provide country-led, sustainable programming, improve partner performance and enhance effective collaboration. Programs will target priority populations, mother/infant pairs and TB patients and will enhance the capacity of faith communities and local l eadership to
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
