HIV Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Intervention Outreach Program (COP)

Since 2016, CEELS has been implementing the Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Intervention Outreach Program (COP) in Nkasi DC and Kalambo DC (Rukwa region) as a sub-grantee by Henry M. Jackson Foundation Medical Research International (HJFMRI)/Walter Reed Program, funded by the U.S.   Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

In collaboration with Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), local government authorities and other stakeholders, our organization implements strategic HIV interventions targeting key and vulnerable populations, striving to address health access barriers that key and vulnerable populations face at community and facility levels.

These include HIV prevention interventions targeting Key and Vulnerable Populations (KVPs), i.e., female sex workers (FSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users (IDU, and Priority populations such as adolescent girls and young women (AGYW).

Our outreach programming includes KVP hotspot mapping and validation, risk assessment, peer navigation support, distribution and support to access condoms, peer education, information, education and communication (IEC) regarding HIV, Tuberculosis, Family Planning and STIs, as well as targeted community-based HIV testing services (HTS) and linkage to treatment (ART) and supporting treatment adherence and viral suppression initiatives at community level. 

Key structural interventions include stigma and discrimination sensitization for community and facility workers and local government authorities, screening for GBV and referral 

CEELS trained staff also track implementation status and key results and contribute to strengthening the routine monitoring and reporting system.

Among 10342 beneficiaries were reached with services in the following program indicators: HIV testing (HTS) 1784, key population prevention (KP_PREV) 1220, priority population prevention (PP_PREV) 5126, new prevention (PrEV_New) 439 and gender based violence (GBV) 1773