Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Details for Mechanism ID: 12517
Country/Region: South Africa
Year: 2010
Main Partner: National Institutes of Health
Main Partner Program: Fogarty International Center
Organizational Type: Implementing Agency
Funding Agency: HHS/NIH
Total Funding: $200,000

For over two decades, the AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP) has provided training for scientists from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) to strengthen HIV-related research and public health capacities at their institutions. More recently, the International Clinical, Operational, and Health Services Research Training Award for AIDS and TB (ICOHRTA-AIDS/TB) program was established to strengthen the capacity of institutions in LMIC to conduct clinical research and implementation science focused on HIV and TB. The research training under these programs address the skills needed to design and conduct HIV/AIDS and TB research for the scale-up of effective interventions. Robust local research capacity and scientific leadership for health services are essential to ensuring that the goals of PEPFAR are achieved.

The proposed activity will support health systems strengthening and clinical research training for South African health professionals interested in operational research that supports the enhanced delivery of HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment and TB control activities under PEPFAR. Implementation of these activities will be accomplished via the NIH's Fogarty International Center's (FIC) existing AITRP and ICOHRTA AIDS/TB grantees in South Africa. The grant's overall objective will be implemented through the identification and support of selected African health professionals for participation in long-term, health systems strengthening and research trainings.

Funding for Health Systems Strengthening (OHSS): $200,000

The activities under this supplemental award will directly contribute to the PEPFAR reauthorization

expansion goal of health systems strengthening. Additionally, these funds will support the capacity and

skills development of local health professionals to conduct operations and health services research to

support the delivery of high-quality HIV/AIDS prevention and care activities and to assist with TB control

efforts. Such capacity building will lead to service delivery sustainability and the development of local

leadership in both research and implementation science to support the provision of HIV/AIDS and TB

related health services.