1. THE HEALTH SECTOR RESPONSE TO THE HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC 1985-2008
Presentation to the Technical Review meeting for TACAIDS
By Dr. Bennett Fimbo
National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)
30th October 2008

2. The historical Background of the HIV/AIDS Response in the Health Sector

4. Programmatic Response Developments
Decentralised IEC activities – Intensified information and education at district and local levels, (main players- appointed RACCs and DACCs; CBOs/NGOs etc), distribution of IEC materials.
Established STD projects (syndromic management of STIs, STD drug procurement and supplies,
Condom promotion and distribution
Strategic programming and planning (MTP I – III: )

5. Programmatic Developments: II
Blood Safety hospital based (1987)
Disease Monitoring and Surveillance – through screening of donated blood, Antenatal (ANC) HIV and STI screening, periodical reporting through annual Epidemiological Reports
PMTCT services.
VCT services.

6. Prevalence of HIV infection among ANC attendees by region, Tanzania 2005/06

7. Achievements on prevention
Increased access to information on HIV/AIDS - leading to high awareness levels (>90% in adult population)
Condom use demystified – resulting into 30-40% among sexually active groups
Targeted Education programs established – including AIDS education in schools
Increased knowledge on STI management and control

8. Gaps and Challenges in prevention
Awareness levels not transformed into appreciable (preventive) behaviour change
Positive knowledge still poor with widespread stigma and discrimination
Socio-cultural factors not fully understood as main drivers of the epidemic in different community groups
MARPS poorly identified or denied leading to non-engagement or focus

9. Response Focus after 2002
The first Health sector on HIV/AIDS ( ) included a major component on care support and treatment
A Care and Treatment Plan ( ) was formulated with a goal to reach 440,000 PLHAs by 2008.
Main intervention being ARV access to all eligible patients.
PMTCT was also piloted and introduced

10. Health Sector strategy for HIV/AIDS (2003-2006
Based on the NMSF and the Health Sector Strategy ( )
Three Major themes (Prevention; Care and Treatment; Cross-Cutting Issues)
Resulted into formulation of the Care and Treatment Plan ( ), with a focus on providing ARV drugs to >400,000 PLHAs by end of the plan

11. Achievements on Care and Treatment

12. Total Enrolees = 327,922: Total on ARVs = 166,639: Total not on ARV = 161,283:12

13. HSS HIV/AIDS Strategy-II (2008-2012)
Health Sector HIV strategy -II is a successor of Health Sector HIV/AIDS Strategy -I ( )
Derives Guidance from the NMSF II of TACAIDS and,
Defines the contribution of the Health Sector to the National Multisectoral Response to HIV and AIDS for the period

14. Theme of the HSHS 20O8-2012
Universal access to HIV and AIDS preventive, care, treatment and supportive services.

15. Universal access- Levels
Condom access (30-40%)
Voluntary counseling and testing 30% of the population years have been tested
Services for the sexually transmitted services- hospitals 100%; health centres 90%; dispensaries %
Services for prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV services available in about 15% of existing health facilities and reaching - only 20% of the pregnant women
Home based care available in only about 10-15% of all health facilities.

16. Universal access –ART access
Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) for people living with HIV/AIDS – just over 320,000 of the estimated 440,000 patients have been enrolled by end of July 2008 and over 166,600 were on ARV drugs.
Laboratory services to monitor patients on antiretroviral treatment still low
Condom availability %

17. Thank you