USAID Regional HIV/AIDS Program for Southern Africa
The U.S. Agency for International Development Regional HIV/AIDS Program for Southern Africa (USAID/RHAP) was launched in February 2000 and covers 10 countries in southern Africa. The primary aim of the program is to target high-transmission areas at cross-border sites and to implement appropriate interventions.
USAID/RHAP identified the management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as a key component of its regional strategy to manage HIV/AIDS in southern Africa. The cross-border initiative, known as the Corridors of Hope (COH), focuses on STI management at health facilities located at cross-border sites.
In 2004, at the request of USAID/RHAP, RPM Plus completed an assessment of pharmaceutical management in the COH initiative, looking specifically at the availability and rational use of medicines as key components of overall quality of care with regard to STI services. The assessment was conducted in five countries: Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The objectives of the assessment were to—
- Assess the availability and quality of STI services at referral clinics to determine the clinics' capacity to manage STIs appropriately
- Evaluate the availability and use of pharmaceuticals and commodities used to treat STIs at COH sites
- Develop recommendations for improving implementation of STI management interventions, particularly with respect to the supply and management of pharmaceuticals and commodities
For a copy of the assessment report, please contact rpmplus@msh.org.
Related Information
» HIV/AIDS-related work of RPM Plus
