Think InclusHIVe: expanding integrated public health services to reduce HIV and TB transmission in vulnerable populations at community level
Mozambique
Status
ImplementationAid type
Project-type interventionsMozambique
Location
-
€ 480,000
Committed
Committed
€ 336,000
Used
Used
Description
The need assessment carried out in a vast area of the Inhambane Province, including the districts of Morrumbene, Massinga, Funhalouro and Panda – areas of intervention of the proposed initiative – shows that there are still major critical issues which deeply hinder the services for the diagnosis and the treatment of HIV and TB. These are caused by: the vastness of the territory and the consequent distance from the Health Centres, women's dependence on men in the decision-making process, the scarce family financial resources and the lack, both structural and educational, of local health personnel. Medicus Mundi Italy and DPSI (Provincial Health Directorate of Inhambane) have been implementing a strategy (TARV-móvel-TM) since 2017. Such strategy foresees the integration of Serviços-TARV (TARV) in some rural communities in which the Brigadas Móveis (BM – i.e., mobile health teams reaching the communities furthest from the Health Centres to facilitate access to primary health services to the most vulnerable and isolated population) are implemented only a monthly. Over time, this service has included all the social-welfare aspects foreseen by the MISAU for the HIV-positive patient, such as the treatment of tuberculosis, both active and latent, psycho-social support (APSS), as well as clinical and microbiological screening (by means of mobile GeneXpert) for tuberculosis. In addition, thanks to an active advocacy work on the subject, this specific strategy, initially experimental in 3 communities and then spreaded to 12, has been transposed and used by the MISAU to publish its own guidelines for the treatment of HIV infection at community level (Brigadas Móveis Integradas com a componente de HIV – 2020), although its widespread practical implementation is still very poor. Thus, this initiative aims, on the one hand, to strengthen and expand decentralised HIV and TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment services, aimed at adherence to antiretroviral/anti-tubercular therapy, and, on the other, to exert a dual action of economic empowerment and community awareness on HIV and TB issues, for the benefit of the most vulnerable population of the Morrumbene, Massinga, Funhalouro and Panda districts, in particular adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and the male population who do not access services. It is planned to involve 29 different rural communities, reached by project activities every month. The specific objective of the project is to reduce HIV and TB transmission at the community level by strengthening and expanding community-based treatment of HIV and TB patients, including LTBI (Latent TB Infection), through the 'TARV-móvel'-TM strategy, for 29 rural communities in the four intervention districts. In order to guarantee an effective clinical outcome for patients, it is also necessary to ensure constant monitoring of therapy (retention in care) through follow-up actions aimed at early identification of drop-outs and their causes. Thanks to the collaboration with the local Kuhlula association, active and targeted research will be carried out in this regard, as well as home and community counselling of HIV and HIV/TB patients by activists who have been working with MMI for two years, who reside in the communities themselves and who will be suitably trained for this purpose. All the activities will be integrated within the actions of the national health system at the provincial district level, carrying out both training actions for all the health workers involved, and shared actions to share the activities and results achieved within the Programa Nacional de Controle da HIV (PNCHIV) and the Programa Nacional de Controlo da Tuberculose (PNCT).
read more
close
| Year | Committed | Used |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | € 480,000 | € 336,000 |
Agency
| Type | Name | Channel code |
|---|---|---|
| Government | AICS - Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development | 11000 |
Channel reported
| Type | Name | Channel code |
|---|---|---|
| National NGO | MEDICUS MUNDI ITALIA ONG/ON | 22000 |
Project data
Sectors
Policy markers
SDGs
-
-
-