Under the auspices of WHRI, CHAPS is rolling out an HTS programme in Ekurhuleni. The HTS modalities implemented within community include HIV Testing Services, Index Testing Services, and linkage to care. HIV testing is conducted with eligible candidates and HIV positive clients are offered index testing for their partners and biological children. All diagnosed HIV-positive clients are referred for further medical management and supported by our dedicated Linkage officers. Newly diagnosed HIV-positive clients are escorted by the linkage officers to the nearby facility as per cluster allocation when they consent to readiness to promote UTT and increase same day initiation yield. Known HIV-positive clients are counselled, offered ITS and retained to reduce the rate of defaulting. The WWSSDD strategy is employed to yield more testing numbers and ensure all households are offered HIV Testing Services. Demand generation strategies aim to target all people in Ekurhuleni to know their status, and reinforce the importance of taking ART, to adhere to their care and treatment plan. Screening for TB, STIs and gender-based violence, are also offered, in addition to VMMC, PrEP referrals and overall wellness.

CHAPS is part of a consortium involved in the Scaling up Access for Expanded (SAFE) VMMC services project, which provides VMMC services on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) Namibia in selected regions across the country. Led by ABT Associates, other partners include Health Information Systems Program (HISP) as the health information technology partner, Community Media Trust (CMT) steering the communication, and Kondjeni Youth Enterprise (KOYEP). The 5-year project runs from October 2019 to September 2024. As the responsible partner for Quality in the project, the role of CHAPS is aligned to the project’s strategic objective of strengthening Quality Assurance and quality management of VMMC services.

The SAFE project is operating in 12 regions which have low circumcision saturation levels, apart from Kunene and Omaheke, which are home to the Herero tribe which circumcise traditionally. In FY21, the project offered VMMC services through 19 static sites, 7 of which were private sites.

For more information on CHAPS Namibia and the SAFE project, contact Derek Mangoya (Technical Specialist and Quality Assurance Advisor) on DMangoya@chaps.org.za