STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY HIV PREVENTION, SRH, GBV RESPONSE AND LINKAGES TO CARE AND TREATMENT SUPPORTED UCMB – AIDS CARE AND TREATMENT PROJECT (ACT)

The ACT project was implemented between 2016 to 2018 and aimed at Strengthening community HIV, SRH, GBV response and improve client linkage to care and treatment in 8 Districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Mpigi, Masaka, Kasese, Luwero, Kabarole, Nebbi. The specific tasks of this project were to conduct community mobilization and sensitization, facilitate community services outreaches for provision of HIV counselling and testing, TB and STI screening, GBV case registering and counselling, client enrollment into care, community drug refills, distribution of condoms and other SRH commodities plus referrals,

Key activities included mobilization, sensitization, health education and demand creation,  moonlight HTS integrating “four tent model”, Targeted evidence based IEC programming where tailored IEC materials including posters, stickers, brochures, fliers and overcoats/reflector jackets focusing on adoption of safer sexual practices, promoting HIV prevention service including HCT, EMTCT, SRH, GBV prevention, Community dialogues integrated with use of community role models such as PHAs and work as change agents and  Door to Door hotspot outreaches. Relatedly, UGEM revitalized and facilitated selected Gender desks to receive SGBV cases, record, report and refer  and follow up SGBV survivors, oriented local leaders for example secretaries for Children, police child and family protection unit, probation and welfare officer on child protection and response trained and oriented local leaders for example secretaries for Children, police child and family protection unit, probation and welfare officer on child protection and response,  trained young people in life skills, engaged in advocacy partnerships and collaborations, documented Best practices, Support supervision, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting.  

Resultantly UGEM supported facilities to increase enrollment of new HIV positives into care, Increased uptake of services at facility due to community mobilization by CSOs, Ensured retention of PLHIVs in community care for instance through carrying out drug refills in the community, Increased community HTS  through different approaches i.e. door to door and home based index and contact tracing, Improved community to facility referrals and linkages, Improved delivery and  distribution of SRH commodities among communities and built capacity of different groups including young people, KPs, PLHIVs,  and Gender Officers to effectively participate in  provision and behavior change. . Additionally Awareness, demand creation and advocacy were promoted through IEC