FHI/Haiti To Help Global Fund Expand Treatment

JANUARY 2007 — FHI is helping expand HIV/AIDS treatment services in Haiti. This month, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria asked FHI to extend its work with the State University Hospital in Port-au-Prince, five national nursing schools and a medical technology school. FHI is one of many partners who agreed to help the Global Fund implement the five-year program known as Expansion Rapide des Services de Traitement du VIH/SIDA en Haiti.

Activities will take place in five health units of the State University Hospital: dermatology, urology, orthopedics, ophthalmology and surgery. Within the hospital, the program will:

• Provide financial support for infrastructure, equipment and salaries at the State University Hospital
• Strengthen the HIV/AIDS management capacity of providers
• Create an institutional network to "capture" all cases of AIDS-related conditions so patients can be referred to counseling, testing, management of opportunistic infections and treatment
• Help put 500 people living with AIDS on antiretroviral treatment by December 2007 by providing supplies such as lab materials (e.g., test kits), antiretroviral drugs and drugs to treat opportunistic infections.

At the national nursing schools, FHI will help to integrate an HIV/AIDS component into the training curricula for doctors and nurses and will conduct training of trainers sessions. Support to improve infrastructure, equipment, educational materials and salaries will also be provided.

FHI will implement the project, ensure quality of services and conduct regular monitoring and evaluation.

FHI works with Haiti's Ministry of Heath and its partners to implement the country's National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS. The plan aims to reduce the risk for HIV transmission, mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS and reduce the vulnerability of Haitian people to HIV.

PHOTO: FHI/Haiti Country Director, Dr. Jean Robert Brutus, signs a contract with the Global Fund to help expand access to antiretroviral therapy in Haiti. The  ceremony took place Oct. 31, 2006. Dr. Ronald Laroche from Développement de Activités de Santé en Haïti (DASH) and Dr. Fritz Moise from the Fondation Sante Reproductive et Education Familiale (FOSREF) are to his right and left, respectively. The two NGOs are also partnering with the Global Fund.