Tanzania

The Problem

There are estimated to be 1.4 million people living with HIV in Tanzania (1). Campaigns to promote testing resulted in millions knowing their HIV status and both access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) have improved. Some issues still to address are:  

• Young women are three times more likely to be infected with HIV than young men.
• Antiretroviral therapy (ART) reaches only a third of adults and 5% of children who need it.
• HIV prevalence among MSM is estimated at 12. 4% (2).
• Over one million children have lost a mother or father to AIDS (3).

Our Response

Prior to ART being available in Tanzania, EJAF supported the development of palliative home-based care programmes, now linked to ART, as part of integrated support. EJAF has also helped secure food, shelter, healthcare and education for vulnerable children, many orphaned as a result of HIV.

Our Strategy

EJAF’s recent approach in Tanzania is to fund programmes of work that strengthen local or national provision and can be scaled up to address issues:

Access to HIV testing, treatment and care

Programmes that work with government healthcare systems to scale up ART treatment and care, including voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), PMTCT, paediatric and community care services

 

Addressing the needs of women

 

• Strategic programmes that aim to decrease the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV and to mitigate its impact on them. These include:
• Providing integrated services that include sexual reproductive health, HIV testing/treatment and prevention of mother-to-child transmission
• Legal/human rights programmes that empower women infected, affected and at risk of HIV to make informed choices and protect themselves  Providing high impact food security and income generation programmes

 

Organisations/networks of People Living with HIV (PLWH)

Programmes which empower PLWH to play a key role in the development of services, improve their quality of life and exercise self-determination

 

Support for vulnerable or at risk groups   

Programmes that provide information, treatment, care and support, particularly to men who have sex with men (MSM) and injecting drug users.

1. UNAIDS 2009

2. Baral et al 2008

3. UNAIDS 2009