HALT NEW INFECTION (NFM) & IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PLHIV

This is the 1st ever National/country level project under New Funding Model [NFM] of the Global Fund. This project has replaced the previous project under Round system and the project known as GFATM Round-9. This grant under the Global Fund aims at reducing HIV related morbidity and mortality in Pakistan by halting new HIV infections and improving the quality of lives of the PLHIV across the country. This is to be achieved by improving access to Continuum of Prevention and Care (CoPC) services to people Who Inject Drugs [PWIDs] and enhancing the quality of Community and Home Based Care (CHBC) of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and associated populations. The grant also ensures provision of complete package of treatment to the eligible PLHIV.
In Phase 1 of GFATM Round-9 APLHIV was assigned the task of training and building up the capacity of service providers and community stakeholders. Over 331 participants from across the country including participants from National Aids Control Program (NACP), Provincial Aids Control Programs (PACPs), policy makers, HIV activist, health care providers, educators, community leaders, senior level staff of local and national agencies, NGOs and INGOs and the government agencies were trained and sensitized about the epidemic and provision of services. In phase II of the project the APLHIV was assigned the task to act as a watch dog body over the services being provided to the community by both public and private sectors. The national level toll free helpline of the APLHIV also became a part of this project in Phase II based on the performance of the helpline. During two years of monitoring the APLHIV received over 243 complaints of serious nature from across the country which were successfully addressed and resolved. Similarly over 10,000 calls were received on the Helpline. The callers were provided with basic information about HIV, its treatment, care and support services, referral services, and telephonic counseling were also the important functions of the helpline in addition to receiving the complaints.
Based on the performance of the APLHIV, the APLHIV was asked to continue the same role under NFM GF Grant. Under this grant also the APLHIV has been assigned the task to supervise and monitor the services being provided to the community by both public and private sectors. The APLHIV is also ensuring that all the services and service providers are informed by principles which ensure that support to clients is provided in a dignified manner, ensuring that the rights of clients are protected and professional health care and interventions are provided in a non discriminatory manner. The APLHIV is performing the role of a watch dog body and also providing holding points for the comments and complaints in respect of delivery of services. The APLHIV is also engaged to identify systematic failures, lack of professionalism, lack of competence, lack of training and remedial actions. The revise CHBC remit provides an opportunity for enhanced equity principles to be backbone of services and presentation of its ethos to the community as welcoming and acceptable. The core principles to be inducted in to CHBCs will be on public display at all centers and monitored by the Association of PLHIV.
The Association will also provide leadership in engaging community participation, particularly at national level to inform and enlist the cooperation of national, civil, religious and community leaders to support the inclusion of people living with HIV. The APLHIV will also build partnerships with national and provincial leadership. The helpline services will also continue under the project. Under this project the APLHIV is collaborating with NACP and all PACPs as a Sub-Recipient [SR]