BACKGROUND

In Mozambique, all Ministry of Health interventions carried out at the provincial level are overseen by the provincial Directorates of Health (DPS). Therefore, in the area of HIV/AIDS response, the DPS implements and supervises all activities related to the care and treatment of the national strategy of HIV/AIDS fight under the guidance of the Ministry of Health. Yet DPS capacity throughout the provinces is generally not high enough to fully implement the necessary health interventions. This project intends to address the problem of capacity and, if successful, will be used to develop other direct agreement with provincial directorates in the remaining provinces where USAID is the leader in the implementation of PEPFAR programs. Efforts like this are part of USAID’s strategy to help Mozambique on its Journey to Self-Reliance.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The project’s purpose is to strengthen DPS Tete’s capacity to implement and monitor the HIV-AIDS interventions in the province.  Planned activities target people living with HIV/AIDS, but also youth and the general population in terms of HIV/AIDS prevention activities.  They focus on strengthening DPS Tete’s capacity related to financial management, strategic planning, and budget execution.   They also aim to ensure local availability of medicines and medical supplies by improving DPS Tete’s commodities logistics management.  Improving DPS Tete’s ability to generate, disseminate and use of health data in its decision-making processes is also addressed. Some examples include:

1. Training for 100 new health technicians - 25 in each of the following specialties - general medicine, pharmacy, laboratory technicians and nursing;
2. Acquisition of 3 vehicles for HIV program implementation supervision and medicine distribution from the province headquarters to districts;
3. Acquisition of computer equipment and training for 40 staff of the statistics provincial and district centers on data collection, analysis and interpretation.

EXPECTED RESULTS AND IMPACTS

By the end of the project:

• DPS Tete's capacity for coordination and evidence-based decision-making will be improved;
• HIV-AIDS program performance indicators will be improved; and
• Provision of HIV/AIDS interventions in Tete will be impro