Programs

FHI Leads Senegal National AIDS Program

FHI coordinates with and complements the strategies of Senegal's national AIDS program.  The program emphasizes:

• Risk reduction
• Improved care management of treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Availability and quality of epidemiological and behavioral surveillance data
• Increased availability of condoms

FHI works closely with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) at the district and national levels to expand and improve their comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS.

To reinforce prevention activities, FHI develops and supports projects that provide creative approaches for information exchange, such as a telephone helpline for youth to be conducted in partnership with a local telephone company.

Technical and Financial Support

FHI provides technical and financial support to Le Dantec to conduct sentinel surveillance in seven regions of Senegal. Le Dantec conducts bimonthly supervision in all the sites to provide technical assistance and collect blood serum.

Rapid Response Fund Established

In 2002, FHI established a rapid response fund to provide financial support to small, localized projects. In its first year we provided grants to five organizations. One of them, an advocacy project, educated more than 20 policy makers on HIV/AIDS and policy issues. It is expanding its efforts to educate religious leaders, journalists, and important private companies. The fund also supported established organizations that train peer educators to reach such targeted populations as students, women, fishermen, and truckers.

Expanded VCT Services

FHI expanded a subagreement with SIDA Service to establish three new centers for voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), one each in Dakar, Thies, and Kaolack. Additional subagreements are in the works to further expand VCT services in Dakar and outlying regions.