EpiC Semi-Annual Report (FY21 Q3-Q4 April to September 2021)

The main focus for FY21 was to establish local systems in Senegal to ensure a smooth transition from the USAID Neema Project led by IntraHealth as of October 1, 2021. EpiC conducted an initial scoping visit in June 2021 to learn about the technical strategies implemented under the Neema project and used FY21Q4 to better understand the challenges faced by current partners and target communities. EpiC will adapt global best practices to the Senegal context, building on existing work under Neema and strengthening the overall technical approach to address remaining gaps in the cascade of HIV services for key populations (KP) and priority populations (PP). Key populations include men who have sex with men (MSM) and female sex workers (FSW), while priority populations include individuals at high risk of HIV infection. EpiC will provide technical assistance for supply chain improvements to ensure HIV commodities availability at the last mile, both at community and health facility levels. EpiC Senegal commenced project activities in FY21Q4, with main priority focus areas including start-up discussions with HIV stakeholders, issuing a call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for new subrecipients, recruitment of project staff, development of a workplan and budget for FY22, and transition meetings with the Neema project team. The EpiC team participated in monthly high-level meetings conducted by the Conseil National de Lutte contre le Sida (CNLS), a multisectoral stakeholders' meeting where different technical and financial partners presented their projects at the national level for more synergy and coordination between government departments and ministries. At the operational level, EpiC conducted interventions jointly with the Ministry of Health (MoH)/Division de Lutte contre le Sida (DLSI). The EpiC team developed activities around identified priorities with proposed main strategies and developed the call for EOI, which was posted and shared internally with the national HIV/AIDS mailing list on August 20, 2021. EpiC conducted several meetings with the Neema team to discuss the transition process, including intervention areas, implementation techniques, and approaches, as well as the project strategic information system, human resources, disposal plans, and subgrants or partnerships. EpiC Senegal will continue to provide technical support in seven health regions, covering 13 health districts, to ensure that all interventions for both priority and key populations are covered under USAID/PEPFAR-supported areas. To provide HIV services to priority populations, the EpiC team will work jointly with DLSI supporting health region teams under Fix Award Amount grants (FAA) and local organizations and community-based organizations (CBOs). The EpiC team will conduct visits at the regional level to finalize FAA grant packages to be submitted for approval and launch program implementation. For key population interventions at the community level, hotspot mapping remains the first point of intervention to ensure that the full project team knows where to identify and reach beneficiaries. EpiC will use the results of the hotspot mapping process conducted by the Reseau National des Associations de PVVIH du Senegal (RNP+) to ensure that field staff use available information for microplanning. EpiC will work with identified CBOs and KP-led associations to develop different subgrant packages for approval and conduct all field staff trainings to ensure that different approaches are well understood and implemented. During the reporting period, EpiC conducted discussions with Neema to understand how prevention interventions were conducted and commodities were made available to beneficiaries. EpiC used this information to develop appropriate strategies into the FY22 workplan to cover both KP and PP at high risk with prevention services. Peer educator numbers will be increased to ensure that preventive measures are appropriately implemented. During FY22Q1, EpiC will ensure that there is a continuation of prevention services with intensification of use of Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) developed messages and Going Online intervention to reach hidden population groups with preventive messages. EpiC will be included in the national PrEP technical working group (TWG), which meets regularly under the leadership of CNLS and DLSI. During FY22Q1, EpiC will work with identified CBOs and KP-led associations to develop different subgrant packages for approval and conduct all field staff trainings to ensure that different approaches are well understood and implemented.