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VHS – CDC PROJECT

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_tta_tour gap=”20″ active_section=”1″][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-arrow-right” add_icon=”true” title=”Introduction” tab_id=”1563434645127-10037e17-59aa”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Technical Assistance to National AIDS Control Programme-Phase IV (TA to NACP-IV).

Supported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In Partnership with National AIDS Control Organization, Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society, Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society and Mumbai District AIDS Control Society.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Introduction

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]The Voluntary Health Services – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (VHS-CDC) Project, “TA to NACP-IV’, is providing technical support to the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) in carrying out national level reviews and policy revisions on prevention, care & treatment and strategic information programmes. In line with the revised PEPFAR strategy, apart from the national level activities, the project has adopted the pivot strategy focusing its efforts on the high HIV burden cluster districts of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Maharashtra (MH).

VHS-CDC project has undertaken strategic efforts and carried out a series of innovative activities in coordination with various stakeholders at the cluster and national levels.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Background

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][info_list_father][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ connector_h=”20″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]VHS entered into a Cooperative Agreement with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, United States Government to provide Technical Assistance to National AIDS Control Program[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ connector_h=”20″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Goal is to strengthen strategic planning, decision making, national level reviews and policy revisions of prevention, care and treatment programs including cross cutting areas of capacity building, integration, planning and financial systems[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ connector_h=”20″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Project supports strategies to maximize resource utilization by addressing gaps identified during program reviews and scaling up high impact practices[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ connector_h=”20″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Project strengthens national level activities of NACO and intensely functions at cluster level, in line with revised PEPFAR approach of pivoting to six high burden cluster districts in Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari, Guntur, Krishna) and Maharashtra (Mumbai, Pune, Thane)[/info_list_son][/info_list_father][vc_empty_space][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-arrow-right” add_icon=”true” title=”Focus Areas – India” tab_id=”1563434645127-dcd5aee5-e0d7″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Focus Areas – India

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][info_list_father][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Profiling risk of clients at Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTCs), classifying clients and linking clients (including key populations) to HIV services[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Strengthening mechanisms to ensure all HIV positive clients (including key populations) are linked to ART centre and minimize linkage loss[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Demonstrating models for Key Population friendly ICTC[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Supporting the implementation of integrated PLHIV-ART Linkage System (PALS) for improved tracking of PLHIV cases and trends and demonstrating linkage across the prevention to treatment and care cascade.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Building human capacity to enhance counselling skills of ICTC Counsellors and strengthening linkages to treatment[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Strengthening Partner Tracing and Testing program[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Strengthening Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission of HIV (PPTCT) program to address gaps found in HIV testing of pregnant women, coverage of Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) and initiation of Anti Retro-viral Therapy (ART) among HIV positive pregnant women[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Capacity enhancement and mentoring of 188 District AIDS Prevention and Control Units (DAPCU) across India through DAPCU National Resource Team (DNRT) leading to improved program efficiencies, enhanced quality of data for decision making and strengthened mechanisms for cross referrals between diagnosis and treatment facilities[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Strengthening the Strategic Information Management Unit, basic services and care and treatment program[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Conducting quality review of Opioid Substitution Therapy centers functioning at government health facilities[/info_list_son][/info_list_father][vc_empty_space][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-arrow-right” add_icon=”true” title=”Focus Areas – Sri Lanka” tab_id=”1563435594933-99ce1664-4971″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Focus Areas – Sri Lanka

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][info_list_father][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Technical Assistance to the National STD/AIDS Control Program (NSACP), Government of Sri Lanka for strengthening the country’s response to HIV through enhancement of Strategic Information (SI) capabilities and systems in coordination with Strategic Information Management (SIM) Unit[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Technical support to NSACP aims to
(1) Enhance the capacities of in-country Strategic Information Management Unit team to utilize electronic and manual program data for decision making.
(2) Improve the capacity of SIM Unit to carryout management, analysis, documentation and dissemination of summary program data reports.
(3) Improve capacity of SIM Unit to conduct and disseminate results of operational research at national, global and regional levels.
(4) Consultation with stakeholders on monitoring and documentation of accomplishments and sustainability plans.[/info_list_son][/info_list_father][vc_empty_space][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-arrow-right” add_icon=”true” title=”PLHIV – ART Linkage System (PALS)” tab_id=”1563435809587-58efc9e5-994e”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

PLHIV – ART Linkage System (PALS)

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][info_list_father][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Developed PALS, a web based online – individual tracking system to improve tracking of clients across the prevention-to-care continuum cascade. VHS-CDC project has developed a module for uploading data offline.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]VHS-CDC project in collaboration with APSACS, MSACS and MDACS has conducted the training program on PALS for ICTC counsellors, data managers and DAPCU personnel.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]VHS-CDC project in coordination with NACO has documented the experiences of implementing PALS in the form of process documentation supported with best practices, abstracts and case studies.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]PALS successfully completed security audit and earned a security certificate. PALS is helping the HIV program to track and manage cases across geographies, enabling data management by eliminating duplication and redundancies, facilitating to identify and track Loss to follow up (LFU) cases and ensuring data management for the PPTCT and Early Infant Diagnosis cohort.[/info_list_son][/info_list_father][vc_empty_space][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-arrow-right” add_icon=”true” title=”Activities – cluster level” tab_id=”1563435979063-d100befd-f223″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Activities – cluster level

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]The project is working closely with MSACS, MDACS and APSACS and other key stakeholders in piloting the above innovations. The project personnel both at the project office and at the cluster level are coordinating with respective SACS, undertaking mentoring visits, participating in review meetings and providing strategic technical support.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1499″ img_size=”600*600″][/vc_single_image][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Project Director, MSACS addressing the participants in Counsellors training program

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Activities – Sri Lanka

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][info_list_father][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Facilitated the signing of Letter of Intent (LoI) between the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, Government of Sri Lanka and CDC/DGHT-India[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Facilitated exploratory visits, planning meetings, consultative meetings with key stakeholders, experience sharing sessions and field visits to facilities[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Process of developing comprehensive dashboard indicators on STI/HIV/AIDS, enhancing the NSACP website, updating Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) plan to align with the “National HIV/STI Strategic Plan Sri Lanka, 2018-22” initiated.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]A reference manual on “Situation Assessment of Strategic Information Management System under NSACP, Sri Lanka & Strategies and Approaches of Technical Assistance to SI under NSACP” developed and shared with NSACP, CDC and other key stakeholders.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Additional proposed activities in the forthcoming period include Technical Assistance for implementation of Electronic Information Management System (EIMS), developing analytical report on Strategic Information, improving capacity of SIM unit to conduct and disseminate results of operational research and documenting best practices on Monitoring and Evaluation[/info_list_son][/info_list_father][vc_empty_space][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-arrow-right” add_icon=”true” title=”Key Achievements” tab_id=”1563436422626-942f83b5-d26a”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Key Achievements

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][info_list_father][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Strategic Information Management Unit (SIMU), Basic Services and Care & Treatment programme of NACO: VHS-CDC project supports positions of technical consultants in NACO as part of its strategic support to NACO.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]TA for organizing National Workshop for finalizing Risk Assessment Tool:
VHS-CDC project has developed risk assessment tool for administering to clients at ICTCs. The tool was presented at the national workshop organized by NACO in collaboration with VHS-CDC project. A sub-committee was constituted by NACO, which reviewed and finalized the tool for implementation.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Extended Technical Assistance (TA) to NACO in developing plans and systems for conducting Joint Implementation Review meeting for NACP IV by involving key stakeholders including donors in selected states.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]North East Strategy:
Supported and facilitated development of strategic plan specific to North East region for scaling-up NACP in eight North Eastern states. Carried out systematic reviews of North East HIV/AIDS program, established priorities, identified gaps and documented challenges to tailor and strengthen response to HIV/AIDS in North East region. Conducted four multi-stakeholder North East conclaves with specific reference to People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) including Female Injecting Drug Users (FIDU) and supported state-level consultations.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]DAPCU National Resource Team:
DAPCU Monthly Report developed as a monitoring tool to capture the activities of DAPCU, analyze progress, track key indicators and provide feedback to DAPCU team. An innovative monthly score card was designed on key indicators to track performance and monitor effectiveness of DAPCUs. The DAPCU blog served as a knowledge sharing platform for facilitating exchange of best practices, lessons and experiences among DAPCU teams across India. DNRT offered strategic support to DAPCU Nodal Officers and key SACS officials for systematic conduct of DAPCU review meetings, addressing data quality issues and utilizing data for decision making.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Supported development of strategies to improve HIV-TB coordination for early detection in select northern states.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Provided technical assistance to NACO for conducting review of Government Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) centres.[/info_list_son][/info_list_father][vc_empty_space][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-arrow-right” add_icon=”true” title=”Publications” tab_id=”1563436703655-54d9bcba-481e”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Publications

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]The project in coordination with NACO, SACS and other key stakeholders brought out the following publications:[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”12px”][vc_single_image image=”1503″ img_size=”600*600″ alignment=”center”][/vc_single_image][info_list_father][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Training manual for outreach workers[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Integrated training module for counsellors (Phase II)[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Training manual on developing counselling skills for counsellors[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]PALS process documentation[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Process documentation on PPTCT program outreach experiences.[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]DNRT process documentation[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]PALS offline module[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Situation Assessment of Strategic Information Management System & Strategies and Approaches on Technical Assistance to NSACP[/info_list_son][info_list_son width=”15″ height=”15″ titleclr=”#000000″ listwidth=”” image_id=”2077″]Comprehensive Dashboard Indicators on STI/HIV/AIDS for TA to NSACP, Sri Lanka[/info_list_son][/info_list_father][vc_empty_space height=”12px”][vc_empty_space][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_tour][/vc_column][/vc_row]