NON STATE ACTORS URGES FOR MORE PARTICIPATION IN PEPFAR FUNDED PROJECTS

The non state actors coordination group (NSA) has urged for more participation in Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funds amidst the development of the Country Operational Plan 2017. This was declared during the meeting between non state actors’ coordination group and PEPFAR held on 17^th February 2017 at the Benjamin W. Mkapa Foundation (BMF) headquarters in Kawe, Dar es Salaam.

Mr. Joshua Levens representative from PEPFAR briefing the non state actors’ members in meeting held on 17^th February 2017 at BMF headquarters in Kawe Dar es Salaam.

This half a day meeting which aimed to discuss the involvement of Civil Society Organization in PEPFER funded projects was attended by representative from NACOPHA, CHESA, CSSP, FBO Christian, PEPFAR, TNW, TIENAI, NACOPHA, MUKIKUTE & TMWN.

At the meeting NSA members expressed their concerned about the minimal involvement of local NGOs in the PEPFAR supported projects from the planning stage to implementation as compared to the Global Fund supported programs. The NSAs also urged to include funds for Local NGOs capacity building as way of strengthening organizational growth and sustainability

Joshua Levens from representative from PEPFAR explained that, the settings of PEPFAR implementation is different from the Global Fund, however efforts are initiated to increase local participation and transparency. Giving an example of this year’s PEPFAR meeting which is schedule to be held in May 2017 in South Africa, the group discussions will be regional based so that every CSO can know the prime recipients in their regions, areas of interventions which can enable them to chip in.

Members of the Non State Actors Coordination group in a meeting with PEPFAR held on 17^th February 2017, at BMF headquarters in Kawe Dar es Salaam.

“PEPFAR has increased their mailing list to include more stakeholders and also open levels of feedback from operational, beneficiaries, implementers to high level policy issues at national level” stated Mr. Joshua

Currently PEPFAR is preparing the country operational plan (COP) for 2017 which is expected to align intervention with those under Global Fund support so as to increase synergy avoid duplication and maximize potential. The current strategy aims at reaching the three 90’s (90% of the positive population knows there status, 90% of the positive population are enrolled into ARV & 90% reach minimal suppression of the virus) by 2020, which started in COP 2016 by selecting the high priority scale up councils which represents 80% of all PLHIV in the country. During the development of the COP 2 member from NSA will be selected to participate in the meeting to approve the COP 2017.

In COP 2017 the focus will be more on age and sex disaggregates in reaching the 90-90-90; with 4 epidemics in focus: in urban settings, among men, young women and KPs aiming to reach 80% of these groups by end of next year. This will also include community focused interventions like HIV testing and counseling, linkages to care, treatment, care and support. These are one of the areas where the CSOs can be involved.

Moreover the meeting discussed about the global fund concept note development and the communication with Gates Foundations in regards to financial and technical support to NSA involvement in the whole concept note development processes.

Currently BMF is holding secretariat position of Health sector NSA from end of 2016 and the post will last for two years.