 |
Haiti |
|
| |
|
|
| Total Treatment Sites: |
5 |
| Treatment Site Location(s): |
| Fort Liberté |
Port au Prince |
| Ouanaminthe |
Port de Paix |
| Pignon | |
| Patients on ART: |
1,915 |
| Patient Enrolled: |
5,823 |
| Report in PDF Format: |
Haiti Country Report |
| |
HIV/AIDS in Haiti
Widespread poverty, political instability, and inadequate health and social services contribute to Haiti’s low Human Development Index ranking (146th out of 177 countries) while high illiteracy, internal migration, and STI prevalence rates contribute to making Haiti’s HIV/AIDS epidemic the worst outside Africa. The adult HIV prevalence rate is 3.8% and AIDS is the leading cause of death in Haiti. In the Caribbean, heterosexual sex, particularly commercial sex, is the main mode of HIV transmission.
The Ministry of Health coordinates Haiti’s response to the epidemic and the government is moving towards greater decentralization. Most donor support for AIDS is through PEPFAR and The Global Fund. Vulnerable and at-risk groups include women (who comprise half the people living with HIV/AIDS), young people, and people living in urban areas. Major challenges include weak health infrastructure, poverty, discrimination and stigma, and the shortage of health services, particularly in rural areas (UNAIDS, 2008 and WHO, 2005).
Findings from AHF’s needs assessment conducted in 2008 indicate that antiretroviral therapy (ART) and testing are concentrated in central hospitals that are too far for most poor populations to access. ART in Haiti currently reaches only 47% of those who need it. Several of the regions in which AHF works are amongst the lowest ART coverage areas in the country.
AHF Activities in Haiti
AHF is subcontracted by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) to provide technical assistance for USAID’s SDSH-Pwojè Djanm Project, specifically in the HIV/AIDS, Maternal Health and Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) section. AHF provides technical assistance and support for the scale-up of ART, HIV prevention efforts, and care for infected and at-risk individuals.
In addition to technical assistance, AHF is working to increase the quality of and linkages to TB and STI services. The project’s goal is thus to build a complete HIV/AIDS care and treatment package that is integrated into maternal and child health and family planning, while building the capacity of providers.
For example, in November 2008, AHF conducted its third ART continuing medical education (CME) training with 30 physicians and nurses who provide direct care to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). AHF covered topics such as program development, treatment and care for adults and adolescents, PMTCT, and antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) for children.
Additionally, in 2008, AHF worked closely with the Ministry of Health and was instrumental in the development and revision of Haiti’s new adult and adolescent ART guidelines, training materials, and curricula.
In preparation for ART scale-up, in 2008 AHF conducted a needs assessment for HIV/AIDS services. In addition to an evaluation of existing prevalence and access-to-care data, AHF conducted qualitative interviews with 13 care providers and administrators to obtain an on-the-ground perspective of scale-up needs, barriers, and potential strategies.
AHF found that scale-up of voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), ART, and PMTCT services is imperative and can be addressed by task shifting to health centers and dispensaries. Currently AHF is collaborating with MSH to develop an innovative hybrid of AHF’s HIV Medics and Florida Disease Management programs. RNs, auxiliary nurses, and health agents will be trained to provide care far from the central clinic.
As of March 2009, AHF provides care for 6,272 patients, 2,053 of whom are on ART. Between June 2006 and December 2008, AHF tested 257,450 individuals, including 130,595 pregnant women.
Models of Care
Technical Assistance & Supervision
Implementing Partner
Management Sciences for Health
