UNFPA Awards for FHI/Egypt Address Quality Prevention and Treatment and Adolescent Reproductive Health Services

DECEMBER 2007 — A four-month project awarded to FHI by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will enhance HIV/AIDS prevention services and the detection and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Egypt by providing anonymous, high-quality voluntary HIV/AIDS counseling and testing (VCT).

Ensuring quality services at VCT sites and STI clinics
FHI will work closely with 14 VCT sites and five STI clinics established by UNFPA, FHI, and the Italian Cooperation, conducting assessments to identify their strengths and weaknesses and gaps in service delivery. The assessments will also gauge adherence to national VCT and STI guidelines and the national VCT monitoring and evaluation plan, all of which were developed by FHI. Assessment results will inform the design of a training program that builds the capacity of staff at these sites.

Regular monitoring of data and client feedback will be used to ensure high-quality service delivery. During site visits, the use of standardized checklists developed by FHI will reinforce clinical standards of care and provide opportunities for dialogue and supportive supervision.
FHI will also identify technical assistance that may be undertaken in a follow-on project in the coming year.

Addressing the shortage of adolescent RH services
UNFPA also awarded a four-month project to FHI to address the shortage of reproductive health (RH) services for adolescents in Egypt. FHI will provide technical assistance to RH clinics, in conjunction with UNFPA.

To increase the access of adolescents to appropriate RH care, knowledge, and awareness, youth-friendly RH services will be scaled up. The project plans to build the capacity of 20 RH clinics to provide adolescents with comprehensive services, counseling, and information that improve their knowledge and behaviors. The project will also build and promote a referral network of adolescent RH services.

To improve services, FHI will work closely with eight existing UNFPA-supported clinics and will provide technical assistance to establish an additional 12 clinics. To ensure a sustainable and comprehensive approach, FHI will conduct a rapid review of accomplishments, obstacles, and lessons learned, and will establish baseline measurements that ensure effective monitoring and evaluation throughout the phases of the project.

FHI's approach to improving and expanding the delivery of youth-friendly RH services centers on a number of interventions. FHI will involve youth in service delivery design, outreach, implementation, and assessment, and will promote and foster the use of youth-friendly services.

FHI will provide training in adolescent RH service delivery, including techniques on counseling adolescents. The training will also improve the capacity of the clinics to provide multiple services during the same client visit and make referrals to other youth-friendly providers for unavailable services. Assessments of clinic hours, locations, environments, privacy, confidentiality, costs, and clinic protocols will inform the task of making clinical services more youth-friendly.

The project will be carefully documented to streamline its replication and expansion across Egypt.