Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2008 2009

Details for Mechanism ID: 129
Country/Region: Rwanda
Year: 2009
Main Partner: Columbia University
Main Partner Program: Mailman School of Public Health
Organizational Type: University
Funding Agency: HHS/CDC
Total Funding: $2,816,374

Funding for Biomedical Prevention: Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT): $579,731

This is a continuing activity from FY 2008. No narrative required.

New/Continuing Activity: Continuing Activity

Continuing Activity: 12806

Continued Associated Activity Information

Activity Activity ID USG Agency Prime Partner Mechanism Mechanism ID Mechanism Planned Funds

System ID System ID

12806 4832.08 HHS/Centers for Columbia 6307 129.08 Columbia MCAP $883,908

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

7179 4832.07 HHS/Centers for Columbia 4329 129.07 Columbia MCAP $626,843

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

4832 4832.06 HHS/Centers for Columbia 2572 129.06 Columbia MCAP $250,000

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

Emphasis Areas

Gender

* Increasing gender equity in HIV/AIDS programs

Health-related Wraparound Programs

* Child Survival Activities

* Family Planning

* Malaria (PMI)

* Safe Motherhood

* TB

Human Capacity Development

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Human Capacity Development $579,731

Public Health Evaluation

Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery

Food and Nutrition: Commodities

Economic Strengthening

Education

Water

Table 3.3.01:

Funding for Care: Adult Care and Support (HBHC): $989,040

ACTIVITY UNCHANGED FROM FY 2008:

In FY 2008, Columbia/ICAP will be providing BCS services to 28,000 PLHIV at 46 sites. BCS services in FY

2009 will continue at the existing 46 sites and be initiated at the 10 stand alone FY 2008 PMTCT sites.

Services supported will include, clinical staging and baseline CD4 count for all patients, follow-up CD4 every

six months, management of OIs and other HIV-related illnesses, including OI diagnosis and treatment, and

routine provision of CTX prophylaxis for eligible adults, children and exposed infants based on national

guidelines, basic nutritional counseling and support, positive living and risk reduction counseling, pain and

symptom management, and end-of-life care. In addition, ICAP will continue to provide psychosocial

counseling including counseling and referrals for HIV-infected female victims of domestic violence. To

ensure comprehensive services across a continuum, ICAP, through the partnership with CHAMP and other

community services providers, refers patients enrolled in care to community-based BCS services based on

their individual need, including adherence counseling, spiritual support, stigma-reducing activities, OVC

support, IGA activities, and HBC services for end-of-life care. Through SCMS, ICAP will continue to provide

diagnostic kits, CD4 tests, and other exams for clinical monitoring, and will work with SCMS for the

appropriate storage, stock management, and reporting of all OI-related commodities.

In FY 2009, ICAP will expand its services to provide BCS to 32,646 existing patients and add an additional

5,656 new patients at 46 existing sites and 10 new sites. Expanded services will emphasize on quality of

care, continuum of care through effective linkages and referrals, and sustainability of services through PBF.

Strengthened nutritional services through training and provision of nutritional care will include counseling,

nutritional assessments using anthropometric indicators, and management of malnutrition through provision

of micronutrient and multivitamin supplements, and links to Title II food support for clinically eligible PLHIV

and children in line with national nutrition guidelines. ICAP will also support referrals for all PLHIV and their

families, particularly children under 5 and pregnant women, for malaria prevention services, including

provision of LLINs, in collaboration with CHAMP, GFATM and PMI; and referral of PLHIV and their families

to CHAMP CBOs and other community-service providers for distribution of water purification kits and health

education on hygiene, for reduction of diarrheal disease. In addition, family planning education, counseling

and methods will be provided to PLHIV and their spouses. This service will be located within the counseling

unit of the site to reduce need for referrals. Strengthened psychological and spiritual support services for

PLHIV at clinic and community levels will be done through expanded TRAC training in psychological

support for all Columbia-supported health facilities and community-based providers, including GBV

counseling, positive living, and counseling on Prevention for Positives.

In addition the Ministry of Health will implement a new community health policy in FY 2008. The policy calls

for the election of male and female leaders for every 100 households to lead community health activities,

organize other community volunteers into associations and supervise their activities. Columbia will support

56 health facilities to retrain, equip, and supervise 20 community health leads per health facility, in addition

to other health care workers, reaching a total of 1,254 health workers trained. These community health

workers will organize periodic meetings to ensure quality and coverage of community-based HIV services

and linkages between community and facilities. The facility-based case managers, community health leads

and community based services providers constitute an effective system that ensures continuum, coverage

and quality of basic and support care.

In order to ensure continuum of HIV care, Columbia in collaboration with CHAMP, will recruit case

managers at each of the supported sites. These case managers, with training in HIV patient follow-up, will

ensure referrals to care services for pediatric patients identified through PMTCT programs, PLHIV

associations, malnutrition centers, and OVC programs. To do this, the case managers will have planning

sessions with facilities and community-based service providers and OVC services providers for more

efficient use of patient referrals slips to ensure timely enrollment in care and treatment for children

diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Columbia -supported sites will assess individual PLHIV needs, organize monthly

clinic-wide case management meetings to minimize follow-up losses of patients, and provide direct

oversight of community volunteers. The community volunteers will be organized in associations motivated

through community PBF based on the number of patients they assist and quality of services provided.

Columbia will work with CHAMP and its own Peer Educators for Adherence, Referral, and Linkages

(PEARL) program to develop effective referral systems between clinical care providers and psycho-social

and livelihood support services, through the use of patient routing slips for referrals and counter referrals

from community to facilities and vice versa. Depending on the needs of individuals and families, health

facilities will refer PLHIV to community-based HBC services, adherence counseling, spiritual support

through church-based programs, stigma reducing activities, CHAMP-funded OVC support, IGA activities

(particularly for PLHIV female and child-headed households), legal support services, and community-based

pain management and end-of-life care in line with national palliative care guidelines.

Increasing pediatric patient enrollment is a major priority for all PEPFAR clinical partners in FY 2008. To

expand quality pediatric care, Rwanda has few available pediatricians will train other clinical providers,

using the innovative model developed in FY 2006 and continuing in FY 2007 and FY 2008. Columbia will

support health facilities to refer HIV-infected children to OVC programming for access to education, medical,

social and legal services. Columbia will also support sites to identify and support women who may be

vulnerable when disclosing their status to their partner, and include in counseling the role of alcohol in

contributing to high-risk behaviors. Case managers will conduct regular case reviews with other partners

included in the referral system to review the effectiveness of the system, identify challenges and design

common strategies to overcome any barrier to pediatric patients routing between services. In addition, adult

patients enrolled in care will be encouraged to have their children tested and infected ones taken to HIV

care and treatment sites.

PBF is a major component of the Rwanda PEPFAR strategy for ensuring long-term sustainability and

maximizing performance and quality of services. In coordination with the HIV PBF project, Columbia will

shift some of their support from input to output financing based on sites' performance in improving key

national HIV performance and quality indicators. Full or partially reduced payment of BCS and other

indicators is contingent upon the quality of general health services as measured by the score obtained using

Activity Narrative: the standardized national Quality Supervision tool.

In the context of decentralization, DHTs now play an increasingly important role in the oversight and

management of clinical and community service delivery. Columbia will strengthen the capacity of four DHTs

to coordinate an effective network of BCS and other HIV/AIDS services. The basic package of financial and

technical support includes staff for oversight and implementation, transportation, communication, training of

providers, and other support to carry out key responsibilities.

This activity addresses the key legislative areas of gender, wrap around for food, microfinance and other

activities, and stigma and discrimination through increased community participation in care and support of

PLHIV.

New/Continuing Activity: Continuing Activity

Continuing Activity: 12809

Continued Associated Activity Information

Activity Activity ID USG Agency Prime Partner Mechanism Mechanism ID Mechanism Planned Funds

System ID System ID

12809 2799.08 HHS/Centers for Columbia 6307 129.08 Columbia MCAP $1,285,846

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

7177 2799.07 HHS/Centers for Columbia 4329 129.07 Columbia MCAP $454,300

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

2799 2799.06 HHS/Centers for Columbia 2572 129.06 Columbia MCAP $300,000

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

Emphasis Areas

Human Capacity Development

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Human Capacity Development $200,000

Public Health Evaluation

Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery

Food and Nutrition: Commodities

Economic Strengthening

Education

Water

Table 3.3.08:

Funding for Treatment: Adult Treatment (HTXS): $49,691

THIS IS A CONTINUING ACTIVITY FROM FY 2008, ALREADY APPROVED

New/Continuing Activity: Continuing Activity

Continuing Activity: 12812

Continued Associated Activity Information

Activity Activity ID USG Agency Prime Partner Mechanism Mechanism ID Mechanism Planned Funds

System ID System ID

12812 2798.08 HHS/Centers for Columbia 6307 129.08 Columbia MCAP $742,721

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

7176 2798.07 HHS/Centers for Columbia 4329 129.07 Columbia MCAP $835,350

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

2798 2798.06 HHS/Centers for Columbia 2572 129.06 Columbia MCAP $3,189,000

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

Table 3.3.09:

Funding for Care: Pediatric Care and Support (PDCS): $267,255

THIS IS A CONTINUING ACTIVITY FROM FY 2008.

ICAP is one of the USG partners providing HIV care and treatment services for HIV-infected adults and

children in Rwanda. At present, the program has 56 sites in 9 districts. Of these facilities 32 provide

PMTCT (22 alongside with ART and 10 standalone), 42 provide ART for adults and for children. 2 provide

treatment for Adults alone and 41 have VCT, PMTCT and ART (for adults and children) co-located in the

same premises. These facilities are located in 9 districts of the 2 region of Rwanda. In FY2008, ICAP

provided a comprehensive package of basic care and support services to 4000 HIV-infected children and

treatment to 2492, at 46 sites. This package of services, is provided in collaboration with local community

service providers and includes, co-trimoxazole prophylaxis, nutrition counseling and food support,

insecticide treated nets (ITN) and safe water interventions. In addition, ICAP provides follow-up services for

HIV-exposed infants who are followed-up and maintained on co-trimoxazole prophylaxis until confirmation

of their HIV status can be obtained. For FY2009, ICAP will continue to provide the same package to 4000

old HIV-infected children and 400 new ones at its 46 existing sites. ICAP will also increase treatment

services for 242 new children at 46 existing sites to reach a total of 4400 of children in care and 2734 of

children on ART by end of FY09.

To address the need to expand diagnosis of HIV in the pediatric population ICAP will increase testing for

targeted pediatric populations within the catchment area of its existing sites. Using each HIV adult patient

enrolled in care and treatment at ICAP-supported sites, as an index case, ICAP will offer HIV-testing for

their partners and children and enrolls the infected family member/s into care and treatment services. ICAP-

supported sites will link with OVC service providers operating in its supported districts to offer HIV testing

services for children and their families, according to national guidelines, and ensure enrollment of HIV-

infected children into care and treatment services. ICAP, has been instrumental in initiating an approach to

test families as a means to identify HIV infected children and other adults in the household who would

benefit of early care interventions. In addition, ICAP-supported sites will link with malnutrition and TB

centers within their facilities or at specialized sites located in the vicinity to provide HIV testing to all

pediatric in- and out-patients and enroll the infected children into care and treatment services. ICAP will also

work to establish and strengthen linkages with PLHIV associations in the local network, and the

administrative district authorities and health teams to support activities to increase awareness in

communities on issues related to pediatric HIV to increase pediatric HIV testing and enrollment into care.

At PMTCT sites, enhanced follow-up of mothers and exposed infants will be promoted through support

groups of HIV-infected women based on the mother-to-mother model. In this model, women who

demonstrate steady consultation attendance and good baby care are identified and used to coach new HIV-

positive mothers during pregnancy and after delivery to ensure that both women and their infants access

needed services. During these groups sessions ICAP will provide ITNs, nutrition counseling, enhancing

family food support through training for improved home gardening and animal breading techniques, and

provide food supplementation to mother infant pairs. This last activity is conducted in collaboration with a

Prime PEPFAR funded Community Partner, the World Food Program (WFP), and the

CRS/ACDIVOCA/World Vision consortium. In addition, ICAP-supported sites will provide health education

on safe water and provision of water purification products. HIV-exposed infants identified at PMTCT sites

will be followed in the context of existing MCH services offered at existing ICAP sites. Mother and infant

information will be transferred from PMTCT to other MCH programs through the "carte de liaison" currently

in use in Rwanda as a means to transfer relevant HIV information between PMTCT and MCH programs.

Early infant diagnosis services, now available at 43 of ICAP supported sites, will be expanded to increase

full coverage of sites by end of FY09. EID will be offered at six weeks of age and at later ages for

symptomatic infants less than 18 months of age according to the national algorithm. ICAP will also work

with the district health teams to ensure that samples collected at the sites are transferred efficiently to the

processing lab at the National Reference Laboratory in Kigali and work with the MoH to increase reliability

of result turn-around times.

At ICAP-supported sites HIV-infected children will be staged clinically and using CD4 (counts or

percentages as these become available) and eligible infants and children will be enrolled in ART. ICAP will

work with other clinical implementing partners and the MoH to train health care providers on newly updated

pediatric HIV treatment guidelines which include changes for early treatment of HIV-infected infants and

changes in CD4 thresholds for treatment initiation of children between 36 and 59 months of age.

Systematic chart reviews to identify children now eligible for treatment based on new CD4 cut-offs will be

initiated in FY08.

All pediatric patients will have regular anthropometric evaluations to identify early signs of malnutrition and

ensure prompt initiation of nutrition rehabilitation interventions. Newly identified patients will be screened at

enrollment and at regular intervals for signs and symptoms of common opportunistic infections or other

infectious complications of HIV in children, including: candidiasis, pneumonia, malaria, meningitis, and PCP.

In addition, all pediatric patients will be screened for TB at enrolment and at each follow up visit using the

set of 5 questions developed by PNILT. Children suspected of having TB will be further investigated and

put on TB treatment or INH prophylaxis if infection or exposure is confirmed based on current national

guidance. Additionally, infants and children on ART will also be assessed at each visit for issues related to

adverse events, toxicity and adherence to ART. Staff will be trained to ensure, as much as possible, the

early detection of signs of immunologic and clinical failure and initiation of second line treatment regimens

based on national guidance.

Because HIV-exposed, infected and affected children do not have the same level of vulnerability and risk of

death as non-infected or affected population ICAP will work to implement a system to assess vulnerability

and will conduct home visits for families with HIV-infected children in order to identify and manage

accordingly those that need special attention.

Pediatric HIV care and treatment programs in Rwanda face many challenges, including the need for

increased numbers of qualified trained pediatric health care providers. ICAP will ensure that site-level

providers are trained or receive refresher training session in pediatric HIV patient management, according

Activity Narrative: to national guidelines. Providers will receive regularly planned in-service trainings and coaching sessions.

In collaboration with ICAP, and TRAC-plus, ICAP has dedicated staff to be part of the national mentoring

team, who will provide continued mentoring to clinical staff at ICAP supported sites in addition to national

level mentoring. Mentor staff will, in turn, train hospital and health center service providers in pediatric

clinical HIV care, palliative care, patient record-keeping, data recording and use, and quality performance

measurement and improvement. ICAP will continue to promote staff retention and motivation at supported

sites through innovative ways including continued training for individual staff skills development and offering

continuous technical support to successfully implement a performance-based financing model of service

delivery which provides staff bonus awards to high scoring sites.

Through work with the Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) and CAMERWA, the national

pharmaceutical warehouse, the district-level pharmacy,, the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) and the

regional laboratory network, ICAP will ensure training of health service providers on HIV opportunistic

infections, drug and reagent stock management and distribution, adherence counseling, good pharmacy

record-keeping and data use. ICAP will collaborate with health facilities to survey energy needs for proper

operation of laboratories, IT equipment and storage facilities. Sites in need of back-up or extended power

supplies will be equipped with solar-based energy sources.

In FY08, ICAP has worked closely with TRAC-plus to implement a mentoring program to train health care

providers in adult and pediatric HIV and HIV/TB management. This program will continue in FY09 to

support the building of capacity at site and district level to provide quality clinical services for children. 102

health care providers (4 from each of the 9 DHs and 2 from each of the 33 HCs) from 42 sites at 9 districts

will receive training through this mentorship program, this is more fully described under the UTAP supported

activities with Columbia University. Efforts to rapidly disseminate and begin implementation of new

treatment guidelines for infants and children will be greatly supported through this effort. In addition AIDS

Relief will continue to train managers and health service providers in the use of patients' data software.

Pediatric HIV care indicators will be linked to PMTCT indicators in the database for better follow-up of

infants exposed to HIV. With improved data on pediatric HIV care, ICAP, in collaboration with TRAC-plus,

the national performance-based program, and the HIVQUAL project will support health facilities to build and

sustain a system of quality performance measurement, improvement. This system will use basic pediatric

HIV care and support and treatment data as a source to regularly review program performance and

design/implement appropriate interventions to improve the quality of services provided to children and their

families. ICAP staff in charge of each district will ensure that meetings to review internal data take place on

a regular basis and that the improvement plan is implemented at individual sites. Yearly, district-level

meetings are planned where each facility will share their performance data and improvement strategies.

ICAP will ensure that pediatric HIV care is integrated with adult HIV care and that the family approach is

reinforced

New/Continuing Activity: Continuing Activity

Continuing Activity: 12809

Continued Associated Activity Information

Activity Activity ID USG Agency Prime Partner Mechanism Mechanism ID Mechanism Planned Funds

System ID System ID

12809 2799.08 HHS/Centers for Columbia 6307 129.08 Columbia MCAP $1,285,846

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

7177 2799.07 HHS/Centers for Columbia 4329 129.07 Columbia MCAP $454,300

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

2799 2799.06 HHS/Centers for Columbia 2572 129.06 Columbia MCAP $300,000

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

Emphasis Areas

Health-related Wraparound Programs

* Child Survival Activities

* TB

Human Capacity Development

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Human Capacity Development $267,255

Public Health Evaluation

Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery

Food and Nutrition: Commodities

Economic Strengthening

Education

Water

Table 3.3.10:

Funding for Treatment: Pediatric Treatment (PDTX): $82,819

This is a continuing activity from FY 2008. No narrative required.

New/Continuing Activity: Continuing Activity

Continuing Activity: 12812

Continued Associated Activity Information

Activity Activity ID USG Agency Prime Partner Mechanism Mechanism ID Mechanism Planned Funds

System ID System ID

12812 2798.08 HHS/Centers for Columbia 6307 129.08 Columbia MCAP $742,721

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

7176 2798.07 HHS/Centers for Columbia 4329 129.07 Columbia MCAP $835,350

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

2798 2798.06 HHS/Centers for Columbia 2572 129.06 Columbia MCAP $3,189,000

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

Emphasis Areas

Health-related Wraparound Programs

* Child Survival Activities

* TB

Human Capacity Development

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Human Capacity Development $82,819

Public Health Evaluation

Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery

Food and Nutrition: Commodities

Economic Strengthening

Education

Water

Table 3.3.11:

Funding for Care: TB/HIV (HVTB): $698,765

ACTIVITY UNCHANGED FROM FY 2008.

In FY 2008, Columbia continued to implement the national TB/HIV policy and guidelines at 44 ICAP

supported sites including 2 state prisons. The program's achievements include at least 97% of all patients

with TB were tested for HIV, 88% of al dually infected patients received cotrimoxazole preventive therapy

and 44% received ART. At 44 MCAP-supported HIV care and treatment sites, 91% of patients newly

enrolled in HIV care were screened for TB. 71% of patients in care were routinely screened for TB during

follow up visits.

In FY 2009, Columbia will continue to support 44 existing sites and add 2 new sites for the implementation

of the TB/HIV component of the clinical package of HIV care. The priority in FY 2009 will be to expand

implementation of regular TB screening for all PLHIV, and for those suspected to have active TB, ensuring

adequate diagnosis and complete treatment with DOTS. Initial uptake and quality of TB screening activities

has been variable and inadequate at different sites. In FY 2009, Columbia will continue to support

individual sites to continue early case detection, quality case management and follow-up. ICAP will ensure

high quality recording of individual patient information, collect quality data, and to report and review these

data. ICAP will then use program data to understand and improve their program and to support integration

of TB and HIV services at the patient and facility level based on national guidelines.

HIV services are not yet available at all health facilities in Rwanda. Columbia is supporting integrated

planning and TB/HIV training to health care providers including case managers that provide care and

treatment services to patients living with HIV and patients with TB. The training is intended to ensure

effective integration of TB and HIV services and increase the TB case detection rate and accessibility to

comprehensive care and treatment services. Columbia plans on increasing support for integrating

diagnostic services, including coordinating transportation of specimens and patients to referral centers for

appropriate diagnostic services and appropriate follow-up (e.g. chest radiography and extra pulmonary TB

diagnostics). Community health workers will work closely with health care workers to expand access to

health care facilities for early diagnosis and appropriate TB treatment. In FY 2008, 2 staff from each of the

7 supported district hospitals underwent initial respiratory infection control training and each district hospital

has begun drafting infection control plans. In FY 2009 Columbia will support implementation of TB infection

control activities according to the national policy and guidelines.

This activity reflects the ideas presented in the PEPFAR five-year strategy and the Rwandan National

Prevention Plan by advancing the integration of TB/HIV services through the operationalization of policies

and increased coordination of prevention, counseling, screening, testing, care and treatment services.

Lessons learned from integrating TB and HIV will serve in integrating HIV into the existing primary

healthcare system.

New/Continuing Activity: Continuing Activity

Continuing Activity: 12810

Continued Associated Activity Information

Activity Activity ID USG Agency Prime Partner Mechanism Mechanism ID Mechanism Planned Funds

System ID System ID

12810 4839.08 HHS/Centers for Columbia 6307 129.08 Columbia MCAP $877,438

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

7180 4839.07 HHS/Centers for Columbia 4329 129.07 Columbia MCAP $37,807

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

4839 4839.06 HHS/Centers for Columbia 2572 129.06 Columbia MCAP $176,494

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

Emphasis Areas

Human Capacity Development

Estimated amount of funding that is planned for Human Capacity Development $150,000

Public Health Evaluation

Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery

Food and Nutrition: Commodities

Economic Strengthening

Education

Water

Table 3.3.12:

Funding for Testing: HIV Testing and Counseling (HVCT): $149,073

This is a continuing activity from FY 2008. No narrative required.

New/Continuing Activity: New Activity

Continuing Activity:

Emphasis Areas

Gender

* Addressing male norms and behaviors

* Increasing gender equity in HIV/AIDS programs

* Reducing violence and coercion

Human Capacity Development

Public Health Evaluation

Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery

Food and Nutrition: Commodities

Economic Strengthening

Education

Water

Table 3.3.14:

Funding for Laboratory Infrastructure (HLAB): $0

This is a continuing activity from FY 2008.

In FY 2008, Columbia will continue its TA and capacity building activities at NRL by supporting technical

activities as well as strengthening the institutional infrastructure and management capacity critical to sustain

the national network of laboratories for the Rwandan HIV care and treatment program. Direct TA will

continue to be provided through long-term advisors and periodic short-term consultants as needed. Two

long-term technical advisors positions will be continued in FY 2008. The first provides support for HIV-

related quality laboratory services, including evaluations of new technologies, technician trainings, and

guidance on technical and policy issues. The second advisor, a local-hire senior lab technician, will remain

responsible for development and implementation of national standards, QA systems, and training. These

two technical advisors will continue to transfer skills, knowledge and capacity, ensuring a sustained impact.

In FY 2008, Columbia will continue to improve NRL's laboratory management through support of an

international-hire management advisor. The laboratory management advisor will help develop management

systems for finances, logistics, program data, transport and commodities and will mentor the new NRL

Director and Finance position funded under the CDC cooperative agreement. The management advisor

position continues to be critical in strengthening NRL's capacity to effectively manage multiple projects and

multiple streams of funding, including substantial EP resources. Columbia will continue through these

technical and financial positions to support the decentralization of NRL supervision and QA within the

national laboratory network. This decentralization will include continued strengthening of the five regional

district laboratories. PCR for Early Infant Diagnosis and viral load determination will continue to be

supported at NRL and CHUB via equipment maintenance and staff training.

TB services at NRL continue to require strengthening to meet the EP priority of providing reliable AFB

microscopy at the health facility level. Columbia will continue to support laboratory TA to the NRL and

CHUB TB laboratories to ensure high quality smear microscopy, liquid culture and drug sensitivity testing

capability. These TB diagnostic and treatment capabilities are essential in order to provide PLHIV adequate

access to comprehensive quality TB-related services. These capabilities are also essential for the support

of patients with MDR TB. Extrapulmonary TB diagnostics will be available through continued support to

CHUB and CHUK anatomopathology laboratories.

ACM (Atelier central de maintenance) and NRL maintenance units for laboratory equipment will continue to

be strengthened with training and staffing to guarantee the quality of results within the national laboratory

network. Also, small laboratory renovation/rehabilitation will be performed to assure building sustainability

inside the national laboratory network.

Columbia will also continue to strengthen and integrate QA/QC/QI into all HIV-related laboratory areas:

serology, chemistry, hematology, CD4, TB, and malaria. New QA/QC approaches will continue to be

explored in those HIV specific areas. National specimen transportation systems will continue to be

strengthened. Specific laboratory target evaluations on new technical alternatives and new technologies will

be supported to improve the accessibility and reliability of care and treatment programs. For example, new

alternatives technologies will focus on specific HIV areas like, CD4 (dipsticks, micro-chips etc) or TB infants

diagnostics. Protocols and/or indicators should be designed to evaluate laboratory performance impacts on

care and treatment programs.

Columbia will continue to support laboratory staff skills development through local (KHI), regional and

international training programs, with an emphasis on integration of all HIV-related laboratory activities and

total quality management as part of the laboratory accreditation process. In collaboration with CDC,

Columbia will continue to maintain and improve the laboratory information system for NRL and will continue

to support the LIS extension at district hospitals. The laboratory information system will manage financial

record keeping, as well as specimen tracking, inventory control, and programmatic indicators.

All of these activities are consistent with Rwanda's EP five-year strategic goals of strengthening NRL's

capacity to manage a national network of laboratories, standardize technical approaches, and support QA

of HIV-related services throughout the national laboratory network.

New/Continuing Activity: Continuing Activity

Continuing Activity: 12805

Continued Associated Activity Information

Activity Activity ID USG Agency Prime Partner Mechanism Mechanism ID Mechanism Planned Funds

System ID System ID

27342 27342.06 HHS/Centers for University of 11997 11997.06 University of $500,000

Disease Control & Washington Washington

Prevention

12805 2734.08 HHS/Centers for Columbia 6307 129.08 Columbia MCAP $300,000

Disease Control & University Supplement

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

7172 2734.07 HHS/Centers for Columbia 4328 93.07 Columbia UTAP $600,000

Disease Control & University

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

2734 2734.06 HHS/Centers for Columbia 2549 93.06 Columbia UTAP $755,000

Disease Control & University

Prevention Mailman School of

Public Health

Table 3.3.16:

Subpartners Total: $0
Karengera Health Center: NA
Muhima Health District: NA
Shyira District Hospital: NA
Kabaya Health District: NA
Gisenyi District Hospital: NA
Muhororo Health District: NA
Kibuye Health District: NA
Mugonero Health District: NA
Kirinda Health District: NA
Kicukiro Health Center: NA
Murunda Health District: NA
Cross Cutting Budget Categories and Known Amounts Total: $1,279,805
Human Resources for Health $579,731
Human Resources for Health $200,000
Human Resources for Health $267,255
Human Resources for Health $82,819
Human Resources for Health $150,000