HIV/AIDS integrated prevention, treatment, care and support services

The HIV/AIDS Integrated Prevention, Treatment, Care and support (IPTCS) programme is implemented in L/Shabelle, Middle Shabelle (Jowhar), Banadir region (Fiqi and Banadir Hospital), L/Juba (Kismayo district) and El Wak district in Gedo region with the aim of strengthen and expand HIV/AIDS related services, reduce the HIV prevalence rate and provide ART.
In Lower Shabelle, Benadir e Gedo activities are directly implemented by COSV in co-operation with the Ministry of Health, while on the other side, supervision, supplies and staff trainings are provided to partner NGOs supporting IPTCS services in Jowhar (INTERSOS) and Kismayo (Muslim Aid).
Thus, project outcomes will be the following: Increased community awareness on HIV among vulnerable communities in the target areas; improved VCCT (Voluntary Counseling testing) and PMTCT (Preventing Mother-to-Child Transmission) services in Lower Shabelle, Gedo and Banadir Regions; enhanced prevention and treatment of STI and OI; improved management of patients with HIV/AIDS through provision of quality HIV treatment; enhanced care and support of chronically ill patients; improved Health care delivery system through training of staff on HIV case management. Target groups are pregnant women, women in child bearing age, men aged 15-48, and under-5 children, for a total number of 290,500 beneficiaries.