Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Details for Mechanism ID: 11054
Country/Region: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Year: 2013
Main Partner: Population Services International
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: NGO
Funding Agency: USDOD
Total Funding: $1,216,509

The DRC Armed Forces AIDS Prevention Program aims to contribute to reduce in 10 HZ new HIV infections among the military personnel, their family members and neighboring communities by strengthening: (1) their perception of personal risk of contamination from unsafe sex; (2) the awareness and the uptake of high quality HTC services; (3) the promotion of consistent and correct condom use; (4) the referral of infected people to care and treatment services. These objectives are aligned with the defense AIDS program strategic plan 2008-2012 and contribute to the first goal of the partnership framework the USG signed with the GDRC. To increase sustainability, members of target groups are routinely included in the implementation of project activities. Behavior change techniques and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) tools are also produced and disseminated to facilitate behavior change communication activities amongst target population groups while target population supervisors within each intervention area ensure the monitoring of interventions and the quality of services. PSI will increase demand for HTC services among military personnel and their families, and refer them to the military health facilities (SMS) for HIV testing; and FHI360 will continue to support military sites in delivering HTC services and in regularly leading outreach activities to reach target populations in the surrounding area. The existing network of condom sales will be reinforced. PSI/ASF will continue to implement M&E activities to ensure service quality based on national and USG requirements and will report to DOD quarterly program results and ad hoc requested program data. Vehicle purchased with FY2008 money =2. New request=0

Funding for Care: Adult Care and Support (HBHC): $200,000

With FY13 funds, the care and support activities delivered to the old and new members of the existing HIV positive posttest clubs will be reinforced to expand the project utilizing a more comprehensive approach. Additional activities will include risk reduction messaging, condom distribution, sensitization on the disclosure of HIV/AIDS status, psychosocial support, nutrition education (NACS), STI screening and referral for treatment, family planning education, TB care messaging and referral to TB services, retention on treatment. This key activity will provide care and support services to 622 adult PLWH within military families and their neighborhood in Kinshasa, Katanga and Province Orientale. PSI/ASF and PALS will conduct M&E activities to ensure service quality based on GDRC and PEPFAR requirements, and will report quarterly to DOD, any program results and ad hoc requested program data.

Funding for Care: Orphans and Vulnerable Children (HKID): $169,589

In order to expand the project to a comprehensive approach, additional activities will be integrated in the scope of work including assessing the existing social services and networks in the military settings, using the PLWH support groups to identify and assess the eligibility of household children. These are children targeted by PEPFAR platforms and who will be linked to needed clinical services. A total of 2340 children are expected to be reached through the PLWH support groups in Kinshasa, Katanga and Oriental Province. PSI/ASF and PALS will conduct M&E activities to ensure service quality based on GDRC and PEPFAR requirements, and will report quarterly to DOD, any program results and ad hoc requested program data.

Funding for Care: Pediatric Care and Support (PDCS): $100,000

In order to expand the project to a comprehensive approach, additional activities will be integrated to include equitable access to care services. This FY13 funds will be used to provide health-facility based care services for infected and affected children of military personnel. This package of clinical care services will include prevention and treatment of OIs, management of other HIV/AIDS related complication such as diarrhea, safe water interventions, nutrition support, referral to TB services for screening and treatment. A total of 267 children are expected to be reached with care services in the three focus provinces (Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Oriental province). PSI/ASF and PALS will conduct M&E activities to ensure service quality based on GDRC and PEPFAR requirements, and will report quarterly to DOD, any program results and ad hoc requested program data.

Funding for Health Systems Strengthening (OHSS): $100,000

Those new activities will include waste management efforts in targeted military hospitals and health facilities, comprehensive package of services for PLWH support groups and identification (thru PLWH support groups) of household children to be assessed and linked to appropriate OVC services. HTXS, PDCS and PDTX services will be implemented where Global Funds and other USG supported programs will not cover all the needs as identified by the mapping exercise.

Funding for Biomedical Prevention: Injection Safety (HMIN): $100,000

In order to reduce medical transmission of HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne pathogens in targeted military hospitals and health centers, the waste management system will be strengthened by the training of 45 health professionals on universal precautions and management of biomedical waste in Kinshasa (15), Katanga (15) and Province Orientale (15). In addition, incinerators will be renovated or constructed depending on an assessment that will be conducted at the beginning of FY13. PSI/ASF and PALS will conduct M&E activities to ensure service quality based on GDRC and PEPFAR requirements, and will report quarterly to DOD, any program results and ad hoc requested program data.

Funding for Sexual Prevention: Abstinence/Be Faithful (HVAB): $0

The overall goal of this activity is to decrease new HIV infection through behavior change communication focused on the value of abstinence and faithfulness and targeting specifically youth aged 15-24. In 2012, the project will build upon previous experiences to expand prevention interventions in existing locations, adding new sites in Oriental province especially in Kisangani. Key activities in this area will include: 1) training of master trainers and peer educators/animators(military and civilian especially youth) 2) Behavior Change Communication including IPC sessions (one-on-one and small group discussions), edutainement (Mobile Video Units) and mass communication(HIV/AIDS radio and TV spots focus on AB) and 3) promotion of counseling and Testing services. in 2012, an average of 8,200 people will be reached through 2,880 IPC sessions focus on AB held by 60 PEs. PSI and the MOD HIV/AIDS will continue to upadate the communication materials to reflect best practices in the following areas: abstinence and being faithful(AB) with a focus on the delay of sex debut for youth, couples counseling and testing, gender-based violence and prevention of alcool abuse. As stated in the Overview Narrative, five province will be concerned by this program. Quality of service delivery will be assured by a good selection of PEs conducted in closed collaboration with local communities and MOD instances ; evidence based training sessions highly involving MOH's experts in communication activities; technical supervisions conducted by local NGOs themselves and joinly conducted by PSI/ASF, MOD HIV/AIDS services and other GDRC instances as well as USG agencies. PSI/ASF will continue to implement an M&E plan to ensure service quality based on national and USG requirements and will report to DOD quarterly program results and ad hoc requested program data. Data will be collected periodically.

Funding for Testing: HIV Testing and Counseling (HVCT): $200,000

This activity will continue to support the DRC Ministry of defense's HIV/AIDS program by providing counseling and testing services to the military personnel, their family members and the communities surrounding military camps or barracks. VCT services will be provided by both VCT centers and mobile units established in 5 sites: Mbuji-Mayi, Lubumbashi, Kinshasa, Bukavu and Kisangani. HVCT interventions will include: refresher training for existing counseilors with a focus on strenthening lay counselors's capabilities of performing HIV tests(task shifting); provion of needed equipments, HIV test kits and other medical consumables in closed collaboration with Supply Chain Management System( SCMS); and development of VCT IEC materials and their dissemination to all the military VCT centers. An average of 16,349 clients will be reached by this HVCT program in 2012.

Tested people will be referred to condom points of sale established in and around military camps and encouraged to attend STI clinics and those tested positive will be reffered to HIV care, treatment and support services provided by other USG acgencies's partners or GF funded projects. This HVCT program will be implemented in the five provinces stated in the overview narrative. Quality of service delivery will be assured through: a good selection of counselors and lab technicians in closed collaboration with GDRC instances, evidence based training sessions highly involving the PNLS(National HIV/AIDS Control Program), and technical supervisions of activities jointly conducted by PSI/ASF, FHI, GDRC/MOD staff and local USG experts. In closed collaboration with the military HIV/AIDS office and FHI, PSI/ASF will collecte on a daily basis all the VCT data as per the national standards and PEPFAR requirements and will submit quarterly results reports to DOD.

Funding for Sexual Prevention: Other Sexual Prevention (HVOP): $216,920

With FY12 funds, the project will build upon previous project activities to expand prevention interventions in existing project sites, adding some sites in Province Orientale for the same interventions. Key activities in this area will include: prevention interventions specifically targeting the military personnel, their families and surrounding communities. An average of 40,800 people will be sensitized in 2012 through 163200 IPC sessions focus on OP held by 340 PEs . Mobile Video Units, mass campaigns, Radio and TV spots will also be part of these prevention activities taking place in five provinces (see Overview Narrative). Quality of communication service delivery will be ensured through a good selection of PEs by PSI/ASF in closed collaboration with the MOD HIV/AIDS office and local communities(NGOs); training and refreshment sessions of the selected PEs; supervisions conducted by local NGOs themselves, and joint supervisions by PSI/ASF and government instances as well as USGs agencies. Sensitized people will be referred to condom points of sale available in provinces, and encouraged to get tested, attend STI clinics and access HIV care. As for HVAB activities, PSI/ASF will also ensure that USG requirements and technical guidelines as well as GDRC statandars for sensitization activities are met and will report to DOD quarterly program results and had hoc requested data.

Funding for Treatment: Adult Treatment (HTXS): $100,000

In order to strengthen the continuum of response, COP13 funds will be used to increase the availability and quality of treatment services for adult PLWH identified through DOD supported health facilities. These treatment services will include: in-service training for military services providers, provision of ARVs where Global Fund and other USG agencies are not covering all the needs, clinical monitoring of on treatment patients, innovative actions to retain patients initiated on ART. A total of 262 adult PLWH are expected to be initiated on ART in Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Kisangani in FY13. PSI/ASF and PALS will conduct M&E activities to ensure service quality based on GDRC and PEPFAR requirements, and will report quarterly to DOD, any program results and ad hoc requested program data.

Funding for Treatment: Pediatric Treatment (PDTX): $30,000

In order to strengthen the continuum of response, COP13 funds will be used to increase the availability and the quality of pediatric treatment in DOD supported military facilities in Kinshasa, Katanga and Oriental province. In collaboration with DOD and PALS, PSI will ensure that treatment services are provided to the 112 infected children and adolescents expected to be identified in military facilities in FY13. This activity will complement those of the Global Fund and will include: in-service training for military pediatric providers, provision of additional ARVs if needed, clinical and laboratory monitoring, retention on ART. PSI/ASF and PALS will conduct M&E activities to ensure service quality based on GDRC and PEPFAR guidelines and requirements, and will report quarterly to DOD, any program results and ad hoc requested program data.

Subpartners Total: $0
FHI 360: NA
Key Issues Identified in Mechanism
Implement activities to change harmful gender norms & promote positive gender norms
Increase gender equity in HIV prevention, care, treatment and support
Child Survival Activities
Military Populations
Tuberculosis
End-of-Program Evaluation