HIV/AIDS

What is it?

IMA is responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa through specialized care and treatment programs. Building on our extensive history managing HIV/AIDS interventions in multiple countries, IMA remains focused on strengthening the local response and community connections through the provision of HIV/AIDS services. Recognizing the need for prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections for people living with HIV/AIDS, IMA facilitated the distribution of $720 Million worth of Diflucan, an antifungal drug used to prevent and treat fungi, including cryptococcal meningitis and candidiasis, through a partnership with Pfizer from 2003 to 2010. IMA is strengthening preventive services and enhancing treatment adherence and patient support in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Tanzania.

What We Do

Democratic Republic of Congo

Through the highly successful USAID-funded SANRU III ($25M) and Project AXxes ($60M), IMA revitalized health zones across the DRC, most recently assisting 57 health zones in four provinces with a catchment population of 8 million people to improve access to health services including HIV/AIDS prevention from 2000 to 2011.

IMA has also been contributing to HIV/AIDS prevention through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria since 2005 through Rounds 3, 7 and 8. Following IMA’s capacity building support through the previous Rounds 3 and 7, Eglise du Christ au Congo (ECC) was named as a prime recipient for Round 8. In the current Round 8, IMA continues to provide technical support to ECC in financial and procurement management to augment prevention, care and treatment services in 196 health zones.

South Sudan

Through the World Bank/Multi-Donor Trust Fund, IMA is working with the Southern Sudan AIDS Commission (SSAC) and the Ministry of Health to enhance the provision of a range of HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment services in six counties in both Jonglei and Upper Nile states, the country’s two largest states. IMA provides behavior change communication and information, education, and communication activities (including condom distribution), HIV counseling and testing , prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV, and HIV/AIDS care and treatment with the provision of antiretroviral therapy. The capacity of the state branches of the SSAC and local community-based organizations is also being built through training in leadership, management, and monitoring and evaluation.

More than 70 health care providers have been trained in HIV/AIDS service provision, and facilities providing quality HIV counseling and testing has increased from 10 to 16.

IMA is also improving HIV prevention and care activities in Nasir county in Upper Nile state, considered a “hot spot” for increased HIV due to its proximity to the border between South Sudan and Ethiopia. IMA, working in partnership with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and local stakeholders, is conducting community sensitization and mobilization in HIV prevention, encouraging HIV counseling and testing, and promoting and distributing condoms. Additionally, IMA is increasing the capacity of health facilities to provide sexually transmitted infections treatment, as well as prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV, through the provision of drugs and medical supplies to target facilities.

In the past year, HIV counseling and testing uptake has increased from 25 to 481 and more than 3,500 condoms have been distributed.

Tanzania

Hospital staff at the Care and Treatment Center at Shirati Mennonite Hospital in Tanzania.

Through the CRS-led AIDSRelief Consortium, IMA has been providing technical assistance in site management to 32 public and faith-based local partner treatment facilities in 4 regions (Mwanza, Mara, Manyara, and Tanga) since 2004. IMA leads capacity building in financial and program management; supportive supervision and onsite mentorship; training in US Government (USG) grant regulations and compliance; support for workplan and budget development; and monitoring of technical assistance and commodity needs. IMA also works with community groups through the Mennonite Church in Mara and the Anglican Church in Tanga.

In part through IMA’s technical assistance and capacity building support, our long-time national partner, the Christian Social Services Commission (CSSC), has been identified as a transition partner and will receive direct USG funding for their leadership and management of 8 care and treatment facilities in Tanzania.
In partnership with Pathfinder International for the CDC Tutanzane Community Home-Based Care project, IMA managed the procurement and distribution of home-based care kits and supplies for 27,000 HIV/AIDS patients, providing services to patients in the comfort of their own homes in 30 districts from 2005 to 2009.

Additionally, in partnership with pact for a Global Fund Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Project, IMA facilitated integrated services including health care, educational support, vocational training, psychosocial and nutritional support to OVCs in 76 villages in the Lushoto District from 2009 to 2010.

Past Programs

IMA has recently completed three major HIV/AIDS programs in Tanzania.

• Home-Based Care: With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through Pathfinder International, from 2005-2009 IMA participated in a community home-based care (HBC) program to improve the health status and overall well being of people living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania. To support quality care, IMA procured and distributed HBC kits as well as created working partnerships with community and other HIV/AIDS programs.
• Diflucan® Partnership Program: From 2003-2008, IMA partnered with Axios International and Pfizer to provide $120 million worth of Diflucan® every year to HIV/AIDS patients who suffered from serious opportunitistic and fungal infections in over 50 countries.

Where We Work