CDC/ PEPFAR Program to Improve Capacity of an Indigenous Statutory Institution to Enhance Monitoring and Evaluation of HIV/AIDS in the Republic of South Africa as Part of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief

Abstract

This is a five year project whose proposal budget covers the first year only. The other years will be This project consists of five program areas which are: Strategic Information, Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission, Other prevention: Medical Transmission, Other Prevention Among HIV-Positive Persons, and Counselling and Testing. 1) Strategic Information will focus on: Prepare a new updated master sample in preparation for the 2008 national household survey; Update questionnaires and other instruments in preparation for the 2008 national household survey; Assess the relative sensitivity, specificity, and acceptability of HIV antibody testing of oral fluid specimens compared to dried blood spot specimens among children aged 2 to 14 years. Use existing data from previous surveys to address policy-relevant questions for the prevention, treatment and care of people infected with HIV or affected by HIV/AIDS; Increase the number of individuals trained in the analysis and use of strategic information. 2) PMTCTwill focus on: Expanding the PMTCT program support to a total of 20 clinics (from 5 clinics currently) in Region E of the Eastern Cape Province; Train health workers (including community health workers and traditional birth attendants) in PMTCT, in accordance with South African national standards and guidelines; Increase the number of pregnant women who receive confidential HIV counseling and testing (CT) and receive their results; Increase the number of pregnant women provided with a complete course of nevirapine prophylaxis (NVP); Monitor the number of children in Region E of the Eastern Cape who become infected with HIV during the first year of life; Increase the number of eligible women of childbearing age enrolled in wellness programs and/or treatment programs. 3) Other Prevention: Medical Transmission will look at the following:Estimate the prevalence of HIV infection among children aged 2 to 9 years using public health services in 3 provinces; Estimate the proportion of HIV-positive children aged 2 to 9 years whose biological mother is HIV-negative; Identify potential sources of infection among HIV-infected children other than mother-to-child transmission, including medical transmission, breastfeeding by a non-biological mother, and child sexual abuse; Identify practices in both the formal and informal health sectors that could cause HIV transmission; Train at least 90 health care workers in fundamental concepts of infection prevention and control. 4) Other Prevention: Prevention Among HIV-Positive Persons will deal with the following: To establish how well the Healthy Relationships intervention works in a South African context; To assess the feasibility of replicating the Healthy Relationships intervention in rural areas with a high prevalence of HIV. 5) The Counselling and Testing will only be added in the second half of 2007.

Details

This project consists of five programme areas which are: Strategic Information, Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission, Other prevention: Medical Transmission, Other Prevention Among HIV-Positive Persons, and Counselling and Testing.

1) Strategic Information will focus on: Prepare a new updated master sample in preparation for the 2008 national household survey; Update questionnaires and other instruments in preparation for the 2008 national household survey; Assess the relative sensitivity, specificity, and acceptability of HIV antibody testing of oral fluid specimens compared to dried blood spot specimens among children aged 2 to 14 years. Use existing data from previous surveys to address policy-relevant questions for the prevention, treatment and care of people infected with HIV or affected by HIV/AIDS; Increase the number of individuals trained in the analysis and use of strategic information.

2) PMTCTwill focus on: Expanding the PMTCT program support to a total of 20 clinics (from 5 clinics currently) in Region E of the Eastern Cape Province; Train health workers (including community health workers and traditional birth attendants) in PMTCT, in accordance with South African national standards and guidelines; Increase the number of pregnant women who receive confidential HIV counseling and testing (CT) and receive their results; Increase the number of pregnant women provided with a complete course of nevirapine prophylaxis (NVP); Monitor the number of children in Region E of the Eastern Cape who become infected with HIV during the first year of life; Increase the number of eligible women of childbearing age enrolled in wellness programs and/or treatment programs.

3) Other Prevention: Medical Transmission will look at the following:Estimate the prevalence of HIV infection among children aged 2 to 9 years using public health services in 3 provinces; Estimate the proportion of HIV-positive children aged 2 to 9 years whose biological mother is HIV-negative; Identify potential sources of infection among HIV-infected children other than mother-to-child transmission, including medical transmission, breastfeeding by a non-biological mother, and child sexual abuse; Identify practices in both the formal and informal health sectors that could cause HIV transmission; Train at least 90 health care workers in fundamental concepts of infection prevention and control.

4) Other Prevention: Prevention Among HIV-Positive Persons will deal with the following: To establish how well the Healthy Relationships intervention works in a South African context; To assess the feasibility of replicating the Healthy Relationships intervention in rural areas with a high prevalence of HIV.

5) The Counselling and Testing will only be added in the second half of 2007.