Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Deo Mutasiwa in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
The Ministry of Ministry
and Social Welfare is finalizing
plans to introduce a
national guideline to enhance
integration of sexual and reproductive
health and HIV and
AIDS services delivery under
one stop center.
Under the planed integration
program, different sexual and
reproductive health and HIV services
will be joined together to
ensure maximum collective outcomes,
that would include referrals
from one service to another. The
Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr.
Deo Mtasiwa said recently that
the government has taken steps to
address some of these challenges
using available national programs,
strategies and policies.
Highlighting the challenges
facing sexual and reproductive
health on one hand, and HIV
services deliveries in the speech
ready on his behalf by Director
of Prevention Services Dr. Donald
Mbano, Mtasiwa said shortage
of family planning commodities,
HIV/AIDS supplies and shortage
of human resource (number and
skills) posed a big challenge.
He said, although integration is
outlined in the policies and guidelines,
it has not yet been practically
implemented which called for a
need for practitioners to translate
the policies and guidelines into
actions.
He elaborated that in Tanzania
as well as other developing countries,
HIV and Family Planning
programs have been designed and
implemented as separate, vertical
programs. However, clients for
each of the programs proved to
have multiple related sexual and
reproductive health needs which
could be better through integrated
services.
“They are sexually active, of
reproductive age, and some are
concerned about preventing unwanted
pregnancy and therefore
need Family Planning services.
Others come solely to know their
HIV status while unaware of their
risk to unintended pregnancy,”
said Dr. Mbando.
He said with rapidly expanding
HIV prevention and care programs,
integrating family planning
services into the programs can
increase access to contraceptive
methods. “Likewise, he said, integrating
HIV services into family
planning programs can maximize
reach of HIV testing as well as care
and treatment services, synergies
which can dramatically enhance
the public health impact of the
HIV and Family Planning programs,”
he emphasized.
Dr. Mbando further said research
and programmatic experience
over time have demonstrated
family planning services could be
integrated into various HIV and
AIDS service delivery centers.
He named the HIV and AIDS
delivery points as HIV Voluntary
Counseling and Testing Services
(VCT), Prevention of Mother to
Child Transmission (PMTCT),
Home Based Care (HBC), Care
and Treatment services–including
Comprehensive Post Rape Care,
and Comprehensive Youth Friendly
Services.
On the other hand, he said,
HIV prevention–like PMTCT
and Provider Initiated Testing
and Counseling (PITC), can be
integrated in various family planning
service delivery points such
as clinic based, community based,
and outreach or mobile family
planning services.
The annual stakeholders meeting
aimed at sharing experience,
achievement, and foster new energy
to advanced Family Planning
and HIV integration in the country.
“We understand that, family
planning and HIV/AIDS services
are currently coordinated by two
separate programmes–Family
Planning Programme, and National
AIDS Control Programme
respectively,” said Dr. Mbano and
adding:
“There are several on-going
efforts at the ministry level, to ensure
integration of these services.
Let me take this opportunity to
acknowledge efforts by the National
FP/HIV technical working
group”.
The Technical Working Group
(TWG) which was established in
2009 has been a strategic mechanism
to facilitate and advance a
strengthened, effective, and unified
effort towards integrating family
planning and HIV/AIDS services
across all levels and stakeholders
in Tanzania.
Source: AJAAT, Benedict Sichalwe