PEPFAR Quarterly Narrative Report: Q1, FY2012

The program is implemented in close partnership with the Center for Treatment and Research on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (TRAC Plus), the Institute of HIV/AIDS, Disease Prevention and Control (IHDPC), district health units (DHU), district AIDS control committees (CDLS), district hospital and health center staff, USAID, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other key stakeholders. During the period October-December 2011, the HCSP supported 93 subgrants designed to support health centers, hospitals, and DHUs in achieving district and national objectives. These subgrants included 50 service delivery input subgrants and 43 performance-based financing (PBF) fixed obligation grants. The service delivery input subgrants were awarded to 41 health centers, 1 prison, 4 hospitals, and 4 DHUs, while the PBF fixed obligation grants were awarded to 40 health centers and 3 hospitals. The HCSP's work is strengthened by its commitment to palliative care (PC) and service integration, as well as the cross-cutting fields of reproductive health (RH) and family planning (FP), maternal and child health (MCH), nutrition, and gender, particularly services associated with gender-based violence (GBV). The program collaborates directly with the sites it supports to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate their activities. The HCSP's technical and management staff participate in several technical working groups (TWG) of the Rwandan Ministry of Health (MOH), including the TWGs for HIV prevention, HIV care and treatment, tuberculosis (TB)/HIV integration, PC, FP, MCH, nutrition, gender and GBV, PBF, laboratory, community health, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and strategic information. This participation provides a forum for the HCSP to share lessons it has learned as well as learn from others, and enhances its partnership with the MOH and aligns its work with Rwandan priorities. The HCSP's support for health centers, hospitals, and DHUs in the districts of Gasabo, Gicumbi, Nyagatare, and Rulindo has resulted in significant improvements in HIV and AIDS clinical services. The program's focus on palliative care, service integration, and cross-cutting fields has helped to strengthen the health care system in Rwanda and expand access to HIV and AIDS clinical services. According to Table 1, the HCSP supported a total of 93 subgrants during the period October-December 2011. The subgrants were awarded to 93 sites, including 41 health centers, 1 prison, 4 hospitals, and 4 DHUs. The subgrants supported a range of services, including testing and counseling (TC), prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), dried blood spot (DBS), antiretroviral therapy (ART), palliative care (PC), tuberculosis (TB)/HIV integration, family planning (FP)/HIV, and gender-based violence (GBV) services. The HCSP's support for health centers, hospitals, and DHUs in the districts of Gasabo, Gicumbi, Nyagatare, and Rulindo has resulted in significant improvements in HIV and AIDS clinical services. The program's focus on palliative care, service integration, and cross-cutting fields has helped to strengthen the health care system in Rwanda and expand access to HIV and AIDS clinical services. The HCSP's collaboration with the sites it supports has also helped to improve the quality of care and increase the efficiency of service delivery. The HCSP's participation in the technical working groups (TWG) of the Rwandan Ministry of Health (MOH) has provided a forum for the program to share lessons it has learned as well as learn from others. This participation has also enhanced the program's partnership with the MOH and aligned its work with Rwandan priorities. The HCSP's commitment to palliative care, service integration, and cross-cutting fields has helped to strengthen the health care system in Rwanda and expand access to HIV and AIDS clinical services.