Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2010 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Details for Mechanism ID: 12575
Country/Region: Caribbean Region
Year: 2010
Main Partner: Pan American Health Organization
Main Partner Program: PAHO HIV Caribbean Office
Organizational Type: Implementing Agency
Funding Agency: HHS/CDC
Total Funding: $500,000

To address the need to better characterize the epidemic, PAHO HIV Caribbean Office (PHCO) will receive funding from CDC to strengthen in-country capacity for surveillance and strategic information. Assessments conducted by PAHO, WHO and CDC in several countries in the Caribbean indicate that only few countries have managed to implement second generation surveillance and are using data that is generated in-country for policy and program development. At the regional level, even though countries are committed to report to PAHO/WHO and CAREC, there is big gap and most countries are only reporting AIDS data due to limited implementation of HIV case based surveillance.

This effort will work in activities within the strategic information goal of the PEPFAR Partnership Framework and will complement PAHOs objectives within the PAHO HIV Caribbean Plan for the Health Sector. This project will focus in 7 countries utilizing a phase in approach; where each year, a number of countries will be selected for special attention based on agreed upon criteria. PAHO is strategically placed to support countries on strategic information issues within the health sector. The implementation of a country-focused capacity building and technical support strategy tailored to the specific country needs is essential.

PHCO in close collaboration with CAREC, CDC, UNAIDS and the regional HIV surveillance technical workgroup will provide leadership in defining a minimum set of core HIV-related parameters that will be tracked at national and regional levels. Through strategic alliances with entities such as the Regional M&E Technical Working Group, CDC and PANCAPs Health Desk it will embark on harmonized technical support related to the recording, reporting, processing, and interpretation of routine surveillance and patient monitoring data. PAHO will review and expand the current Caribbean HIV reporting system, and facilitate a central database with information accessible to all countries and partners.

Funding for Strategic Information (HVSI): $500,000

This program will focus on 7 countries utilizing a phased-approach. Each year, a number of countries will be selected for special attention based on agreed upon criteria (i.e. readiness, burden of the disease, existing surveillance capacity, political support).

The focus is on HIV surveillance, including monitoring and surveillance of HIV Drug Resistance. Drawing on previous experiences PHCO acknowledges the need to switch from an ad-hoc type of technical cooperation to a more predictable and sustained approach, enabling sharing of capacity across countries. To this end PHCO has placed full time HIV/STI Public Health Advisors in all Country Offices in the Caribbean. These country level advisors will be responsible for on-site sustained support to National Authorities in the development and implementation of their country plans, giving special attention to strategic information and surveillance. The country level technical advisors will also facilitate an inter-agency,inter-programmatic approach to surveillance promoting the involvement of the various MOH entities (including laboratory services), NGOs and private sector in national reporting.

In the Caribbean the HIV/AIDS pandemic is composed of multiple and dynamic epidemics, even within a country. PAHO will support countries and territories to adapt HIV surveillance systems to the realities of each one of them to meet the specific needs of each epidemic. Assisting countries in the implementation of HIV case-based reporting will be a key element in the strengthening of surveillance systems. Additionally, operational research (including BSS and similar types of surveys) will be promoted in the region as a means of gathering the evidence to support policy and programmatic action.

Increased data availability is a priority; however, equally important is the fact that data should be packaged appropriately and in a timely manner to support policy formulation, planning processes, and program implementation. Packaging and proper documentation and dissemination of available data have been major shortcomings in the past. PAHO will support countries in developing periodic HIV epidemic reports that can facilitate reporting to global initiatives (e.g., Universal Access) and most importantly, support local decision-making and action.