HIV Sensitisation and Prevention Program, Lubumbashi, Katanga-DRC:
Negotiations are progressing well between ARWA Australia and Leaf capital Ltd to supply free antiretroviral drugs (HIV/AIDS medicine and/or Ciprofloxacin and/or Fluconazole) to the people of Katanga
At this stage, it is expected this to be fairly small at the beginning: perhaps $1 – $5 million in medicine between Sept and the first quarter of 2010 and then another $5 million from April – June, 2010.
1.0 GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION
Program Name: HIV Sensitisation and Prevention Program, Lubumbashi, Katanga-DRC
Specific Location: Lubumbashi, Katanga-DRC
Program Timing: Oct 2009 – Oct 2012 Program Duration: 3 YearsPartner Delivery Organisation
Christian Women Social Welfare Association and Clinique Universitaire de Lubumbashi
1.1 Brief Program Summary
The health care delivery system is inadequately decentralized for the large size of the country and mobile population. There are severe shortages of human resources trained to deliver antiretroviral therapy. Access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is limited in many provinces. Systems for procurement and supply management of drugs are inadequate, and the cost of treatment remains high. Endemic diseases, such as malaria, plague, cholera, ebola (marburg), monkey pox, sleeping sickness, remain major threats.
This Program aims at improving access to primary health care for vulnerable people, including those living with HIV, as well as conduct surveillance surveys to ensure most recent data. The Clinic will also distribute HIV testing kits to district hospitals, training of health care personnel in testing and treatment of opportunistic infections for HIV,
2.0 NEEDS ANALYSIS AND PROGRAM DESIGN
2.1 Brief Background to Situation
DRC has a large-scale growing HIV epidemic, with an estimated national average adult prevalence of 1.3% and 450,000 people living with HIV/AIDS. The epidemic is strongest among young people between the ages of 15 and 24 and women accessing at antenatal clinics, and is on the rise. The driver of the epidemic is concurrent multiple sexual partners. The most severely affected age groups are 20–29 years among women and 30–39 years among men. The epidemic has severely affected children – an estimated 320,000 children younger than 17 years had lost one or both parents to AIDS.
With the marginalisation of the displaced people and semi rural communities increasing in Katanga province, ARWA Australia and the CWSWA began an innovative project to reverse the social and economic decline and increase the participation of the Katuba communities in their own development.
2.2 Statement of Development Needs/Issues
Many years of civil unrest have damaged the health care delivery system. The country is large, has a sizeable mobile population and health care services are inadequately decentralized. There is a severe shortage of human resources trained to deliver antiretroviral therapy. Access to antiretroviral therapy is limited in many provinces. Systems for procurement and supply management of drugs are inadequate, and the cost of treatment remains high.
Coordinating mechanisms and monitoring and evaluation systems need to be strengthened. Rapidly scaling up HIV prevention, treatment and care requires accelerating the training of health workers, expanding services for voluntary counselling and testing and preventing mother-to-child transmission, reducing the cost of antiretroviral drugs and diagnostics, extending coverage of services to rural areas and reinforcing synergy among the activities of various partner organisations.
2.3 How the Program will address Development Needs/Issues
The Program seeks to provide free medication including anti‐ retroviral drugs to the patients and, together with its development partners; it will establish a large number of Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centres (VCT) throughout the township to provide free services. HIV positive patients will also be given necessary advice, enrolled on the Anti Retro viral Therapy (ART) Programmes and vocational training.
2.4 Program Management, Design and Coordination
Design and Coordination
ARWA Australia is responsible for the overseeing and management of the Program, while the direct implementation and day-to-day management will be the responsibility of CWSWA. CWSWA works in partnership with local communities. CWSWA is the major development organisation working in the area.
In mid-2008, ARWA visited CWSWA, monitored its activities and formulated a plan for further collaboration. In line with those discussions, this proposal capitalises on previous activities and lessons learnt, consolidate the Partnership and funding support into a 3-year program and increases focus on sustainability of activities.
DRC’ s Partner organisation: Association Chrétienne pour la Promotion Social de la Femme
The Christian Women Social Welfare Association (CWSWA) is a Community Based Organization initiated in the year 2003 and registered under the district community office in the same year. The overall aim of CWSWA is to improve the standards of the semi rural poor communities in Katanga. CWSWA therefore works with the semi rural poor and vulnerable communities including women, elderly, the internally displaced people, the refugees, disabled people, youth and the children.
In order to achieve CWSWA overall objective, they are implementing various projects which include: HIV sensitisation, rehabilitation, vocational training, water, hygiene and sanitation, women economic empowerment and farming. CWSWA has qualified staff and an executive committee that manages various projects in the community. Since its inception in 2003 CWSWA has a good track record of achieving its target and actively works at achieving its set objectives, mission and vision. CWSWA has a wealth of experience in mobilizing the communities for development initiatives.
2.7 Direct & Indirect Beneficiaries
Orphans and Vulnerable children – With HIV prevalence at 22% nationally and the total number of orphans estimated at 120,000 nationally, a significant number of orphans dwell in the target communities.
Poor children, families and marginalised communities. Approximately 230 children will benefit from these activities per annum over the 3 years.
2.8 Source of funding:
Leaf Capital P/L will be our main source of pharmaceuticals donations and money.
Leaf Capital Pty Ltd. (Leaf) is a private, for-profit organisation established to provide affordable financing for all Australians wishing to make meaningful donations to charity.
Leaf is ready to help Australians make a positive difference in the developing world.
Although Leaf is new to Australia, its parent organisation is well established and has already helped raise and donate nearly $300 million worth of medicine and cash for charity. The Leaf program is aligned with the fundraising efforts of charities that have a mandate to help those suffering abroad through the donation of pharmaceuticals and money.
ARWA Australia and Leaf Capital P/L to provide free antiretroviral drugs to the DRC.
Temporary shelters for internally displaced people in Katanga
Launching the Katuba Maternity and Health Care Community Project
Relaunching arwa.org.au
ARWA officially launched by the Attorney General of Australia Mr Philip Ruddock.
ARWA Australia is a signatory to the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) Code of Conduct which defines minimum standards of governance, management and accountability for non-government development organisations. Adherence to the Code is monitored by an independent Code of Conduct Committee elected from the NGO community. Our voluntary adherence to the Code of Conduct demonstrates our commitment to ethical practice and public accountability.
