Project News

“Integrated HIV and AIDS Care Implementation Project at District Level” came to an end of the Project term by the end of March 2009. In order to disseminate the “Lessons Learned” accumulated by the Project activities, we decided to hold a final workshop.

Wrap-up Workshop of the Project was held on 17 March 2009 at Chrismar Hotel, Lusaka. 40 participants from various organizations gathered together and made fruitful discussions.

Dr. Velepi Mtonga, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health, opened the workshop by giving a wonderful speech about the idea of the Project, methodology of the service delivery developed by the Project, fine collaboration among Japanese team, the District Health Management Teams and community people and successful achievement of efficacious and high quality outreach service to the communities.

After her speech, Dr G. Siakantu, Deputy Director of Clinical Care and Diagnostic Services, showed the concept of the “mobile ART service” in this Project which is the MoH’s pilot project that has been carried out in both Chongwe and Mumbwa District.

From local inputs, Chongwe and Mumbwa district team delivered their 3 years’ achievements. Two presentations of Operational Research (1. OR on ART, 2. OR on TB/HIV) were also shown at the end of the session.

In the closing speech, Mr. Nabeya, Resident Representative of JICA Zambia remarked that JICA and MOH are advancing the preparation of a successor project and expand the mobile ART services to other two new target districts in a province, based on the mobile ART expansion plan of the MoH and continue to work with Chongwe and Mumbwa districts for the continuous strengthening of rural ART services.

It is great satisfaction to the Project members that our achievement and lessons will continue to be utilized in the next project.