End of Programme Evaluation
The Eastern and Southern Africa region faces significant challenges despite the good progress witnessed in responding to the epidemic from most countries over the past decade that has seen the number of people living with HIV on treatment more than double between 2010 and 2016 and a decline of 66% between 2010 and 2015 in new infections among children. Challenges remain though including harmful gender norms, stigma and discrimination limiting access to health services for some key populations and data limitations on effective approaches and most at risk populations.
The Swedish Agency for International Development (Sida) grant to the Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa (RST) has enabled the RST to drive the agenda on the HIV response in the region. RST advocacy has contributed to the alignment of country and development partners with the Fast Track targets. It has succeeded in getting regional strategies and initiatives aligned to the Fast Track agenda to reach critical prevention and treatment targets and zero discrimination by 2021. It has enabled the RST to keep the AIDS response a priority in an environment of diminishing resources and health systems reform transition towards service integration.
Advantech was the consulting firm of choice to undertake this consultancy across 21 countries in East and Southern Africa.