Regional HIV/AIDS control in Central America
Programme description
Title: Regional HIV/AIDS control in Central America
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Dominican
Republic; based in: San Salvador
Lead executing agency: SICA-COMISCA
Overall term: 2011 to 2013
Context
Wide-spread efforts to integrate the population with regard to health care issues are in place in Central America, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. The Council of Ministers of Health of Central America and the Dominican Republic (COMISCA) has commissioned the Regional Coordinating Mechanism (MCR) to advise it on all issues pertaining to the HIV epidemic.
The overall HIV prevalence rates among the population are relatively low in the region. There is, however, a high level of infection in certain population groups who are marginalised and discriminated against in society.
Objective
Steering of the regional strategic plan on HIV/AIDS in Central America has improved.
Cross-departmental measures to improve regional knowledge management as well as initiatives in the areas of social gender relations, stigma and discrimination have been supported.
Approach
This programme supports three of the altogether six strategic initiatives within the regional strategic plan on HIV/AIDS, namely: ‘Developing a strategic framework’, ‘Regional information to support decision-making’ and ‘Strategic involvement of networks from civil society’.
The objectives of the interventions are:
- Strengthening institutional requirements for implementing the regional strategy
- Establishing systems for regional knowledge management
- Developing and disseminating model approaches to controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS via civil society networks, horizontal and trilateral cooperation arrangements and cooperation with the private sector
The components of support cover technical, organisational and process consultancy by international and regional specialists, training of personnel from partner institutions as well as local subsidies, for example for conducting studies or establishing systems for knowledge management.
The Health Focus/COMO consortium has been subcontracted to implement the programme.
Results achieved so far
The current situation of the Regional Coordination Mechanism (MCR) has been analysed, a detailed work plan has been drawn up and coordinated with its members, and working relationships have been established with partner countries.
In addition, the measure focused on reviewing existing studies in connection with knowledge management. Support in establishing integrated systems for monitoring and evaluation is being prepared for several countries. Mapping of all organisations and institutions working on HIV control in the region as well as of the research agenda for the entire region is being carried out.