Sauti Project: FY 2015 Work Plan

Agency for International Development under Cooperative Agreement AID-621-A-15-00003. The project is implemented by Jhpiego Corporation in partnership with EngenderHealth, Inc., Pact, Inc., and the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR). The project's goal is to contribute to the improved health status of all Tanzanians through a sustained reduction in new HIV infections in Tanzania in support of the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania's commitment to HIV prevention. The project's primary beneficiaries include key populations, such as female sex workers and men who have sex with men, and vulnerable populations, including vulnerable adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 and partners of female sex workers, in selected geographical hotspots in Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga, Mbeya, Iringa, and Njombe regions. The project aims to achieve four key results: increased and timely use of HIV prevention and family planning services, improved positive behaviors and social norms at the individual and community levels, reduced vulnerability of two populations through novel structural interventions, and increasingly sustainable comprehensive HIV prevention services for key and vulnerable populations. To achieve these results, the project plans to implement activities grouped under five strategic objectives. Objective 1 focuses on implementing a package of core and expanded biomedical HIV prevention interventions, with enhanced linkages to care and treatment, and support services. Objective 2 involves deploying interventions designed to reduce individual risk behaviors and strengthen support for positive social norms and structures at the community level. Objective 3 executes a robust research and learning agenda. Objective 4 develops and implements capacity and sustainability building interventions. Objective 5 builds and deploys vigorous monitoring and evaluation systems. During the third quarter of FY2015, the project focused on centrally implementable startup activities due to the delay in obtaining introductory letters to the regions. These activities included finalizing staff recruitment and deployment plans, identifying regional offices, procuring project commodities and equipment, finalizing and pretesting clinical decision algorithms, standard operating procedures, and tools for the delivery of CBHTC+ services, and establishing the project's technical advisory group. The project received significant progress in the third quarter, including the receipt of the introductory letter from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare - National AIDS Control Program, which is a prerequisite step to official rollout of the project to the regions and districts. The project also introduced itself to the TACAIDS team coordinating key population and HIV issues, submitted the FY 15 work plan, M&E Plan, and EMMP, filled key positions, received approval from USAID formalizing NIMR/Mwanza as a Sauti partner, identified Sauti offices in Mbeya and Shinyanga, finalized the HIV, FP, STI supplies needs plan, established and initiated training of CBHTC+ teams, finalized and pilot-tested CBHTC+ standard operating procedures and algorithms for service delivery, issued a request for applications to identify local NGOs/CSOs, identified a potential mHealth agency, and successfully held several key consultative meetings and workshops.