It is estimated that church health services provide at least 50% of health services in Africa. However, their response to the opportunities provided by ARVs/ARTs has been slow or negligible. The apparent inability of the churches, both as community leaders through their priests, pastors, and congregations and as managers and owners of church health services, to take their full part in the response to ARVs/ARTs is hindering the positive impacts of these new treatments.
In response to this, EPN has designed the 'Increasing Access to ARVs/ART in Africa' project.
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The inital phase of the project is focused on Component Objective 3.2 of the logical framework, in developing and testing research tools in three African countries (Kenya, Rwanda, and Burkina Faso) that will be used to establish the current situation and needs prior to developing tools to strengthening the capacities of church leaders and church health services. The research is expected to be rolled out across at least a further seven countries.
EPN is committed to:
An increase in positive health outcomes for all those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
The capacity of church leaders and church health services to deal with HIV/AIDS treatment and related organisational management issues is increased in target countries.
(Outputs, or the expected outcomes of activities that contribute to the purpose of the project)
1.1 Church leaders to receive correct and targeted information on treatment issues and antiretroviral therapy (ART) specifically, either directly or through existing communication systems.
1.2 Training of trainers is undertaken to increase church leaders’ skills in the management of church health services and develop an understanding of the role that ART plays in the management of HIV/AIDS in order that they can give relevant support to either the patient as a member of their community or to the hospital management as it tries to make this service available.
1.3 A significant number of church leaders to become agents for change, in both their communities and their wider social and political environments.
2.1 Church health services receive correct and targeted information on treatment issues and ARTs specifically, either directly or through existing communication systems.
2.2 Training of trainers is undertaken to increase the capacities of church health services in providing quality of treatment and access around ARTs.
2.3 A significant number of church health services become effective providers of ARTs.
3.1 Knowledge management, including identification of key information and provision of online information analysis and evaluation.
3.2 Country-specific start-up, including identification and consultation of partners, starting point analysis, and country-specific networking activity.
Activities
3.2.1. Identification and consultation with potential partners.
3.2.2. A starting point analysis of the current situation, needs, indicators, and baseline readings.
3.2.3. Inter-denominational partnerships and forums established in each country with a 2-day meeting for 20 participants for dissemination of lessons learned, scaling up of best practices, and networking.
3.3 International networking support activities, including information and experience exchange and international advocacy representation.
3.4 Lesson learning, exchange, and response.
3.5 Supporting change, through project management.