Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Details for Mechanism ID: 12018
Country/Region: Central America Region
Year: 2010
Main Partner: Not Available
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: NGO
Funding Agency: USAID
Total Funding: $0

The purpose of this project is to provide technical support and assure achievement of the USAID Central American Regional HIV/AIDS Program's objectives to expand and strengthen the response to HIV/AIDS in Central American countries. The project will carry out activities in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua and may also in the future conduct some activities in Costa Rica, Panama and Belize.

The project will work towards achieving the following results to contribute to the five-year Central America HIV/AIDS Partnership Framework:

1. A HIV/AIDS Supply Chain Management system appropriate to locally available resources developed and applied;

2. A supply management training and mentorship program for health professionals developed and implemented; and

3. A multisectorial supervisory program established.

The strategic approach includes three interwoven technical strategies to improve the performance of health care workers and increase access to high quality care for PLWHA:

1. Build Supply Chain Management capacity from MOH and Social Security services to ensure a complete stock of supplies for comprehensive care and prevention activities (ARVs, OI drugs, HIV test kits, etc);

2. Improve human resources performance by applying an accepted performance standards strategy, and ensuring supportive supervision at secondary and tertiary level facilities; and

3. Integrate ARV supply chain management with the national supply system, thereby assuring sustainability of the system.

Specifically, the project will consolidate and extend the work previously carried out in the selected countries by USAID in the areas of family planning, maternal and neonatal health, and child health. The technical assistance in supply chain management related to HIV/AIDS, therefore, will leverage work already done in those countries to strengthen supply chain management. Due to a shortfall in the FY10 regional budget, USAID/Guatemala bilateral HIV funds (Redacted) will be utilized to cover activities in Guatemala and bridge the gap in funding for FY10.

Funding for Strategic Information (HVSI): $0

The supply project will carry out assessments to identify the strengths and weaknesses of national systems for ARV supplies and HIV tests. Technical assistance to improve supply chain management has been provided previously, particularly for family planning commodities in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua and for HIV/AIDS commodities with bilateral HIV/AIDS funds in Honduras. Strategic information related to monitoring national supply chain management systems will be strengthened in regards to HIV/AIDS commodities, again building upon TA already provided through current or past USAID projects. The program will also monitor the advances throughout the project. Specifically, the project will ensure that stock-out information is systematized by the governments.

In the initial year of implementation, technical assistance will be focused in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. In addition to these countries, the new project will expand work to other countries in the region, initially through assessments and analysis. This participatory analysis will identify gaps in the countries' supply chain systems for which USAID will provide TA or leverage TA with other partners to improve supply chain management for HIV/AIDS commodities. Throughout the life of the project, monitoring and evaluation will be continuous and critical for the improvement of the information and health system.

Funding for Health Systems Strengthening (OHSS): $0

The Supply Chain Project will work towards achieving the following results of the HIV/AIDS Regional Plan as articulated in the five-year Central America HIV/AID Partnership Framework: a) A HIV/AIDS Supply Chain Management system appropriate to locally available resources developed and applied; b) A supply management training and mentorship program for health professionals developed and implemented; and c) A multisectorial supervisory program established.

The strategic approach includes five interwoven technical strategies to improve the performance of health care workers and increase access to high quality care for PLWHA:

1. Build Supply Chain Management capacity from MOH and Social Security services to ensure a complete stock of supplies for comprehensive care and prevention activities (ARVs, OI drugs, HIV test kits, etc).

2. Improve human resources performance by applying an accepted performance standards strategy, and ensuring supportive supervision at secondary and tertiary level facilities;

3. Integrate ARV supply chain management with the national supply system, thereby assuring sustainability of the system.