HIV Reform in Action: Health Systems Strengthening for a Sustainable HIV/AIDS Response in Ukraine (HSS SHARE)

The project is implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP under the terms of a cooperative agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project's overall objective is to enhance national leadership and capacity for evidence-based and gender-sensitive HIV policy programming and implementation. The project's first objective is to enhance national leadership and capacity for evidence-based and gender-sensitive HIV policy programming and implementation. To achieve this objective, the project supports national government institutions in AIDS policy development, programming, and implementation. The project facilitates dialogue between the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Finance (MoF), Ministry of Social Policy (MSP), Parliament members, and regional entities to ensure finance allocation for the National AIDS response. The project also supports the interagency working group and dialogue for preparation of annual budget requests and justification of National AIDS Program (NAP) funds allocation. During the reporting period, the project organized a Strategic Planning workshop for regional AIDS Centers in light of health reforms in Ukraine. The workshop participants expressed interest to continue strategic planning discussion focusing on specific topics. The project plans to hold a second Strategic Planning workshop for AIDS Centers in the third quarter of 2015. The project also established a technical working group (PH TWG) to develop public health system models with integrated HIV/TB services. The PH TWG is conducting analysis of national and regional entities currently performing public health functions, according to definitions stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO). The project's second objective is to strengthen MoH capacity in national HIV/AIDS policy development, programming, monitoring, and evaluation. To achieve this objective, the project conducts an assessment of MoH needs in HIV/AIDS policy development and programming. The project established a technical working group (PH TWG) to develop public health system models with integrated HIV/TB services. The PH TWG is conducting analysis of national and regional entities currently performing public health functions, according to definitions stipulated by WHO. Based on the needs assessment, the PH TWG will develop recommendations for strengthening PH capacity with a focus on integration of HIV/TB services as part of the national PH policy development. The project's progress in the reporting period is satisfactory, with several activities completed or in progress. The project has made significant progress in facilitating dialogue between national and regional entities to improve budget planning for HIV. The project has also established a technical working group to develop public health system models with integrated HIV/TB services. However, the project faces some challenges, including the reorganization in the MoH, elimination of the State Service (SS), and additional staffing changes in other ministries. The project plans to hold a second Strategic Planning workshop for AIDS Centers in the third quarter of 2015 and to develop recommendations for strengthening PH capacity with a focus on integration of HIV/TB services as part of the national PH policy development.