Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Details for Mechanism ID: 7166
Country/Region: Malawi
Year: 2012
Main Partner: Howard University
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: University
Funding Agency: HHS/CDC
Total Funding: $500,000

IMPACT: This investment is designed to directly contribute to high quality scale up of HIV treatment and PMTCT services through support essential laboratory programs. The Howard University Technical Assistance Project (HUTAP) primary objective activities in Malawi is to increase the Ministry of Healths (MOH) capacity to maintain and enhance its laboratory infrastructure in order to provide high quality HIV-specific as well as broader health services at the community, district and central health facilities levels. Support to these efforts is directly aligned with the National Laboratory Strategy, the National Action Framework (NAF) and is a focal area in the Malawi Partnership Framework (PF) and GHI strategy. These efforts focus on five priority areas: 1.Capacity building for laboratory staff, 2. strengthening the National Reference Laboratory, 3. Increasing access to laboratory services at point-of-care settings including support to pregnant mothers and babies, 4. Supporting procurement and supply chain management systems, and 5. Strengthening the Laboratory Management Information System (LMIS) to create a national laboratory infrastructure to support the countrys growing demand for prevention, treatment and care programs for HIV/AIDS, TB, and broader health care services through pre-service and in-service training, human resource and infrastructure development, and quality assurance programs.These efforts contribute significantly to the strengthening of HIV treatment and support; laboratory systems; health information systems; and human resource development focusing on strengthening the national HIV care and treatment program by providing technical assistance, procuring and placing laboratory equipment, building capability and capacity of laboratory services.

Funding for Laboratory Infrastructure (HLAB): $0

Activity 1: Implement and Monitor Laboratory Quality Management Systems (QMS) programs ($100,000)HUTAP will increase the capacity for Ministry of Health (MOH), Christian Health Association (CHAM and Malawi Defense Force (MDF) hospital laboratories to carry out quality testing by supporting the quality assurance programs for HIV, CD4, Tuberculosis (TB) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing focusing on developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines for preparing quality control materials, and expanding the enrollment of laboratories in international External Quality Assurance (EQA) programs. In FY12, HUTAP will continue to implement the WHO AFRO Strengthening Laboratory Management towards Accreditation (SLMTA) program to prepare laboratories for accreditation.Activity 2: Procurement of Equipment and Reagents and Supplies ($260,000)

In order to improve and extend the capacity of Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) and viral load, a more robust and automated technology for PCR will be required at the 4 major testing hubs. The capacity of laboratories to perform quality CD4 testing will be of paramount importance in FY12 and beyond to support the pre-ART program. HUTAP will ensure that reliable CD4 platforms are available at all facilities in the Northern region including the support for the National HIV Reference Laboratory, 4 District Hospital Laboratories and the laboratory training school at Malawi College of Health Sciences.

Activity 3: Provision of Service Contracts for Equipment ($100,000)HUTAP has supported the MOH over the past eight years in the maintenance of equipment through the provision of service contracts particularly those procured to support PEPFAR supported sites. As more equipment is procured it will be necessary for the MOH to maintain the current agreements and purchase new ones as needed.

Funding for Biomedical Prevention: Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT): $500,000

With the scale-up of ART, EID, PMTCT, HIV counseling and testing (HCT), TB/HIV and malaria services, laboratory service to support these programs have increased in scope and complexity. Through PEPFAR funding, HUTAP will provide assistance in strengthening lab services in Malawi through pre-service and in-service training, building human resource capacity through technical assistance and mentorship programs, Quality Assurance (QA), and creating an enhanced laboratory infrastructure and support transportation specimens for CD4, TB, and HIV to testing facilities to facilitate diagnosis and disease monitoring.Activity 1: Support the Scale-up of the National Sample Transportation Program ($400,000)A robust sample transportation system will improve the delivery of samples and test results to lower level health facilities where lab capacity and transporting specimens is still a barrier for offering EID and viral load testing. CD4 testing is essential for assessing ART eligibility for HIV-infected pregnant women while DNA PCR testing for EID will ensure timely identification of HIV-infected infants and linking them to appropriate care and treatment. HUTAP will complete the scale-up of sample transportation in the remaining 4 districts in the Northern region where HUTAP is currently supporting in FY12. By the end of FY13, the sample transportation services will have expanded to about half of the districts in Malawi.Activity 2: Support the implementation of Point of Care (POC) for CD4 testing: ($100, 000)Use of Point of Contact (POC) for CD4 testing is an important aspect diagnosis and disease monitoring that will enhance MTCT and ART service provision. HUTAP will in FY12 implement the use of the technology in 4 health center in the Northern Region. In FY 13, HUTAP will expand the service to additional sites in the Northern region especially where both PMTCT and ART services are provided together in health centers and community/rural hospitals.

Funding for Treatment: Adult Treatment (HTXS): $0

This mechanism will support the delivery of HIV treatment services through providing laboratory testing for immunologial and virological monitoring, as well as quality assurance, in a number of MoH facilities. HUTAP will also support ongoing training of laboratory workers and supervision. These inputs will allow for higher quality HIV care and treatment services.

Cross Cutting Budget Categories and Known Amounts Total: $250,000
enumerations.Construction/Renovation $150,000
Human Resources for Health $100,000
Key Issues Identified in Mechanism
Tuberculosis