Mathatisi Sebusi
FUNDING challenges, policy and regulatory hurdles and capacity constraints have been listed among restrictions preventing communities from being effectively engaged in HIV response initiatives.
This concern was raised by the National AIDS Commission (NAC) Programs Manager, Tiisetso Piet, during a media training workshop held this week in Maseru.
The seminar was aimed at building the capacity of media practitioners on the latest trends in HIV/AIDS, dissemination of the National HIV /AIDS Strategic plan 2023/24, 2027/28, as well as to highlight the World AIDS Day 2023.
Ms Piet said the media, sex workers, men having sex with other men (MSM), inmates, people living with HIV, youth, civic society organisations and the LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) community, had been at the centre of the HIV response from the very beginning of the HIV epidemic.
“The prevention capacity assessment undertaken in 2021 by the NAC and Ministry of Health revealed that even though donors had made a commitment to allocate funding to local organisations, many of the stakeholders lacked organisational and governance systems which were necessary to manage large programs,” Ms Piet said.
She said they also discovered that capacity gaps are pronounced in organisations which are led by or which meaningfully involve key and vulnerable populations and youth.
She further stated that at the centre of community responses are Civic Society Organisations (CSOs) including community-based organisations (CBOs).
“CSOs and CBOs address such societal barriers critical to HIV response as criminalising, excluding, violating rights, and discriminating against communities or groups of individuals, as well as providing sexual and reproductive health and rights education, challenging social norms regarding gender equality,” she said.
Ms Piet further stated that CSOs connect people with person centred public health services, build trust, innovate, monitor implementation of policies and services and hold providers accountable.
“At the global level, the importance of CSOs and community responses have been recognised and as a result, world leaders made a commitment to increase the proportion of HIV services delivered by communities, as a result goals including 30 percent of testing and treatment services, with focus on HIV testing linkage to treatment, adherence and retention support, and treatment literacy have been set.
“However, the assessment revealed that CSOs and CBOs are struggling with severe financial challenges and many have already closed down,” Ms Piet said.
Ms Piet also said these communities remain essential in advocating for robust response to the epidemic, delivering services that can reach everyone in need and tackling HIV- related stigma and discrimination.
She said working alongside public health and other systems community responses remain critical to the success and sustainability of HIV response.
“Another set goals are 80 percent of HIV prevention services for populations at high risk of HIV infection, including women within those populations and 60 percent of programmes to support the achievement of societal enablers.”
