USAID through it's partner Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) joined the MEC for Health in Gauteng, Dr. Gwen Ramokgopa to launch the General Practitioner (GP) Care Cell pilot project in preparation for World AIDS Day. The launch took place at Dr. Lindi Shange's medical practice - Attmed Health Center, one of the five GPs involved in stage one of the three stage pilot. The GP Care Cell pilot project supoorted by PEPFAR/USAID is a collaboration between the Gauteng Provincial Department of Health, FPD and PPO Serve, designed to use the advantage and capacity of private general practitioners (GPs) to create additional HIV Testing Services (HTS) and ART initiation, management and retention capacity outside of public sector health facilities in a controlled manner.  

Dr. Timothy Mah, the Acting Director of the Health Office at USAID/SOuthern Africa, gave the following remarks:

USAID/SA Acting Health Office Director - Dr. Tim Mah

USAID/Southern Africa

Honorable Gauteng MEC for Health, Dr. Ramokgopa; Executive Mayor, Mr. Msimanga; Representative from both National and Provincial Departments of health; Representatives from Tshwane Metro Health Services; Dr. Shange; Colleagues from the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD), all protocol observed, Good morning. I am very happy to be at the launch of this pilot project that will see the expansion of HIV/AIDS service provision through General Practitioners (GPs), in many townships in Tshwane.

It is for this reason that USAID/PEPFAR is proud to support this GP Care Cell pilot project that will be implemented in partnership with all three tiers of government and local general practitioners. Projects like the GP Care Cell model will help us reach people who do not routinely access public clinics for health services. This project also is a great example of a continuing priority of the US Government and PEPFAR – to engage the private sector and tap into the incredible expertise that exists outside of government.

We are excited that after important and intensive negotiations with the health departments, this project is being launched here today and will be rolled out before the end of this year. We look forward to the data and evidence from this pilot to help inform us how to best engage with GPs and more broadly the private sector in our HIV response.

And we, of course, look forward to continued collaboration with Gauteng DOH and NDOH so we can expand this pilot in other parts of the Gauteng province.

Congratulations and Thank you.

For more information see the link: http://m.polity.org.za/article/sa-mec-gwen-ramokgopa-launches-first-gauteng-gp-care-cell-2017-11-29

USAID/Southern Africa - Project Development Specialist, Ms. Nomea Masihleho (front left) with guests attending the Launch

USAID/Southern Africa