EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES IN HIV AND HEALTH SERVISES OVERSIGHT
SAUTI YETU Project, funded through USAID is being implemented by the National Council of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania (NACOPHA).
The program focuses on increasing access to HIV testing, Care and treatment services through referrals and linkages to health services; retention and adherence into Antiretroviral Treatment (ART), for epidemic control in 46 PEPFAR priority districts from 15 regions of Tanzania Mainland.
The regions comprise Mbeya, Ruvuma, Njombe, Dar es Salaam, Mara, Kagera, Mtwara, Iringa, Morogoro, Tanga, Arusha, Dodoma, Lindi, Mwanza and Shinyanga.
SAUTI YETU
OBJECTIVES
01.
Increased.Demand
Increased demand for targeted HIV testing among families of PLHIV clusters by 50% in 46 districts through community HIV testing promotion by PLHIV.
02.
Increased.PLHIV retention.
Increased PLHIV retention on ART by reducing LTFU by 50% in 46 districts.
03.
Strengethening.Community
Strengthened community linkages and referral systems through established PLHIV community action and cluster coordination teams for adherence and retention on ART in the 46 districts.
04.
Modelling.Knowledge
Evidence generated through modeling new knowledge for enhanced ART adherence and retention using community structures in 3 districts.
05.
Improved.Environment.
Improved enabling environment for overall national HIV response.
Key in the SAUTI YETU project is meaningful involvement of the People Living with HIV/AIDS in in the program delivery. SAUTI YETU empowers its beneficiaries under the guiding principle of “nothing for us is possible without us.”
In line with the 90-90-90 strategy, we envisage a Tanzania where all PLHIV know their status, are on treatment, and are virally suppressed.
NACOPHA has a total membership of 640,487 PLHIVs in 169 district councils of which over 230,955 are directly reached by SAUTI YETU HIV interventions in 46 district councils.
- Establishment of Community Coordination Team (CCTs) – 364 Individual PLHIV Leaders, Community Action Teams (CATs) – 795 in 260 Wards, Treatment Advocates (TAs) - 1,300 in every 2 villages.
- Tracked and linked to ART 97.8% of Lost to follow Ups (LFTUs)
- Increased number of individual PLHIV identified and linked to HTC services through index elicitation.
- Significant achievements in stigma reduction measured through adherence, retention and increased reach of number of lower age bands of PLHIV despite low prevalence in those age bands.
- Establishment of Empowerment Groups as hubs for Index testing, psycho-social support, and economic empowerment. There is a significant increase in number of PLHIV accessing health insurance through empowerment groups for at least 3 consecutive years.
- Successful recording of Social Behavior Change Communication messages (SBCC) for a variety of effective communication channels.
- Improved meaningful engagement of PLHIV and the Council with Parliamentarians and the Government leading to resources mobilized for PLHIV groups, change in policy and guidelines".