Advancing HIV & AIDS Epidemic Control Activity | Contract No. 72066821C00001 | Q1 Quarterly Report - January 2021

The project aims to decrease morbidity and mortality among South Sudanese by increasing prevention, care, treatment, and retention services for at-risk men, women, children, and key populations. The project also seeks to strengthen the capacity of local partners to prepare them for the receipt of future prime funding. The first six weeks of the project focused on contract review, recruitment of key personnel, planning quick start activities with USAID, activity transition with Jhpiego colleagues, and meeting the first two contractual deliverables. A safety and security plan and a 90-day mobilization plan with quick start activities were submitted and approved. The project team also prepared and submitted a branding and marking plan, which was approved. Quick start activities were planned to avoid a gap in critical HIV services as of January 1. General population/care and treatment sites in Juba and Tambura will continue services at 14 sites with 44 staff on temporary contracts. Key population sites in Juba, Nimule, Yambio, Wau, Rumbek, and Bor will continue support to female sex workers and their clients. Community-level volunteers will be deployed for community engagement and case finding, and peer educators will be supported by HealthLink South Sudan. Monitoring and learning activities included planning for the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan, the Gender, Youth, and Social Inclusion Analysis, and the establishment of baseline data. The project team also prepared and submitted plans for digital health tools for HIV case finding and the Real Time Service Delivery Dashboard. Human resources and staffing plans were developed, and program and site-level job descriptions were routed through the Ministry of Labor for approval. Key personnel, including the Chief of Party and the Deputy Chief of Party, were recruited and began their roles in December and January. The project team also sought to expedite project staff recruitment while ensuring fair hiring practices that adhere to South Sudan labor law and meet contractual obligations. The project team prepared and submitted a proposed schedule for distributing the fee across contractual deliverables, which was approved on December 21. The project's focus on quick start activities, monitoring and learning, and human resources and staffing plans sets the stage for the project's implementation in the coming months.