AIDSTAR-Two Project Trip Report – Juba Oct. 30 – Nov. 11, 2012

The purpose of the trip was to commence the development of the South Sudan HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2013-2017. Tom Mogeni, a lead consultant for strategic planning for HIV response, led the trip. The trip involved several key accomplishments, including the completion of an HIV epidemic analysis and a national response analysis. The analysis involved reviewing existing data on HIV prevalence, incidence, and impact among key populations, as well as identifying HIV vulnerability factors driving the epidemic. The response analysis reviewed achievements, challenges, and gaps in providing HIV services in South Sudan. Priorities for the strategic plan were set based on the findings of the HIV epidemic and response analysis. Priority populations, regions, and programs were identified, and technical working groups identified key results and strategies for HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support, as well as socio-economic impact mitigation. The trip deliverables included the South Sudan HIV and AIDS situational analysis and Draft Zero of the South Sudan HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2013-2017. The draft zero was developed as a roadmap for strategic planning, and it outlined the methodology for developing the strategic plan. The next steps following the trip included reviewing the draft zero of the strategic plan and providing comments, as well as drafting the first version of the South Sudan National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS 2013-2017. The lead consultant was responsible for drafting the first version, and the South Sudan AIDS Commission and technical working groups were responsible for reviewing and providing comments on the draft. Key individuals contacted during the trip included Esterina Novello, Chairperson of the South Sudan AIDS Commission and Chair of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, Gabriel Atillio, Chair of the Technical Committee for Strategic Planning, and Silvano Koribe, Secretary of the Technical Committee for Strategic Planning. Relevant documents from the trip included the draft zero of the South Sudan National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS 2013-2017, which was located in the eRoom. The document was a critical component of the trip's deliverables and provided a roadmap for the development of the strategic plan.