Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Details for Mechanism ID: 4296
Country/Region: Kenya
Year: 2007
Main Partner: University of KwaZulu-Natal
Main Partner Program: HEARD Mobile Task Team
Organizational Type: University
Funding Agency: USAID
Total Funding: $0

Funding for Health Systems Strengthening (OHSS): $0

This activity will be continuing in FY 2007 but does not require new funding. The below activity description is carried over from the FY 2006 Country Operational Plan.

1. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION This activity will mitigate the consequences of HIV/AIDS and strengthen systems by continuing the development of sector specific HIV/AIDS policies and prioritised implementation plans with two ministries of the Government of Kenya (GoK). The activity builds upon earlier work done by the University of KwaZulu Natal Mobile Task Team (MTT) on the impact of HIV/AIDS on education. It will replicate the process undertaken with the Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MOEST) with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Affairs or Social Services (selection of ministry to be determined) and develop sector specific HIV/AIDS policies and prioritized implementation plans within the context of the government of Kenya's HIV/AIDS priorities. These sectoral policies will then be re-aggregated to inform a review and update of the Kenya National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan (KNASP). The success of the MOEST policy development process and current roll-out of decentralized implementation planning confirms this can be achieved and provides a national and provincial model for replication. In FY 2005 this process involved preliminary and planning meetings, two major policy development workshops (combining both education and health sectors) to produce governing principles, draft sectoral policies and planning guidelines for further consultation, endorsement and ratification for each ministry. In FY 2006 this component will subject the draft policies to further stakeholder consultation and comment, in order to produce a final draft for GoK ratification and publication, to facilitate the development of national and decentralized implementation plans and monitoring frameworks. Within this second period these draft policies shall be made available to the National AIDS Control Council (NACC), to be considered for inclusion in the KNASP. MTT will train 50 senior ministerial officials in policy development and implementation, institutional capacity building, and in addressing stigma and discrimination.

The program activities above will collectively and directly contribute to the following outcomes: systems and policies to address stigma and discrimination improved; HIV/AIDS workplace policies and programs expanded across all activities and partners; national quality assurance systems for HIV/AIDS programs (prevention, care and treatment) improved; capacities of national multi-sectoral bodies to lead and coordinate the response to HIV/AIDS strengthened; service delivery guidelines and protocols updated and disseminated; national capacity in planning and resource allocation for HIV/AIDS programs strengthened; national level financial planning and resource allocation for HIV/AIDS strengthened; and human resource management and supervision interventions that cut across multiple program areas improved.

2. CONTRIBUTIONS TO OVERALL PROGRAM AREA Through their work with key ministries affected by the AIDS epidemic, MTT will assist in creating an enabling environment for policy implementation in support of prevention, care and treatment of Kenyans in general and PLWHAs in particular.

3. LINKS TO OTHER ACTIVITIES This activity links to Strategic Information activities (#4157) in support of the development of integrated information systems for HIV/AIDS that embrace the Ministries of Health, Education and Home Affairs or Social Services. The Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for orphans and vulnerable children, and Social Services caters for out-of-school youth. These activities will also link with the regional USAID activities that MTT is implementing for the REDSO (regional USAID) office.

4. POPULATIONS BEING TARGETED These activities target host country government workers including Ministry staff.

5. KEY LEGISLATIVE ISSUES ADDRESSED Issues of gender, stigma and discrimination will all be addressed in sector-specific policies.

6. EMPHASIS AREAS The activity has a major emphasis on policy and guidelines assisting the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Affairs or Social Services to develop sector specific HIV/AIDS policies and implementation plans.