Issue #6 USAID Boresha Afya - Southern Zone September 2019 Newsletter Content Foreword Program highlights Success stories Page 02 As our Program moves On 9 July 2019, the Charge According to the Tanzania past the half way stage of d’affaires (CDA) of the HIV Impact Survey (2016 – implementation, there are United States Embassy in 2017), Lindi region has a low plenty....... Tanzania.......... HIV.................... Page 04 Page 06 Page 18 Achieving our vision USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 Contents 14 Jan - Feb 19 Index Cascade 12 12 11 11 10 8 7 6 6 6 4 2 2 1 0 Jan - 19 Feb - 19 Index clients No of sexual partner elicited Tested pos 04 06 10 14 Foreword Program highlights Program highlights Success Stories – Collaboration of Partners Impresses – Program Collaborates with Media to – Optimization of Positive Case CDA upon Visit to Ifakara Health Document Progress in Malaria Identification through Index Testing Institute at Ruangwa District Hospital – Lindi Region 16 18 20 22 Success Stories Success Stories Success Stories Success Stories – Changing Roles: Data Clerks Fostering – How the SMS Reminder System is – Mlimba Health Centre, a Beacon of – Testimonials Data Quality and Data Use for Decision Reshaping HIV/AIDS Services in Tanzania: Excellence in Index Testing. Making A Case Study of USAID Boresha Afya – Southern Zone, Njombe Region. 2 3 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 Foreword Dear Friends of USAID Boresha Afya – Southern Zone As our Program moves past the half I would be remiss if I did not take way stage of implementation, there a moment to acknowledge that are plenty of achievements to write all Program achievements owe a about. Amongst these and most great deal to our prime partner, the notably, new clients initiated on Anti- Government through the Ministry Retroviral Therapy (ART) during the of Health Community Development past quarter were 11,021, directly Gender Elderly and Children contributing to the Program reaching (MOHCDGEC) and the Ministry of a total 189,149 clients currently on the President’s Office Regional ART in the five supported regions Administration and Local Government since Program inception. This (PO-RALG), other partners as well as achievement comes on the back of my staff. sustained efforts in Index Testing amongst others. I hope you will enjoy reading through the pages as much as we have Owing to the aforementioned, cherished every minute in service of this sixth issue of the newsletter our benefactors! details successes in Index Testing in Morogoro and Lindi. Similarly, it also grants the reader accounts of how an SMS reminder system in Dr. Marina Njelekela – Chief of Njombe is assisting to retain clients Party, USAID Boresha Afya – in HIV care and treatment, how data Southern Zone Program. clerks have been empowered to use data correctly in Mtwara, Malaria successes in Lindi and Mtwara and also briefly narrates a recent visit to Ifakara Health Institute by a prominent US Government official. 4 5 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 Program highlights Collaboration of Partners Impresses CDA upon Visit to Ifakara Health Institute On 9 July 2019, the Charge behaviour in the fight against d’affaires (CDA) of the United different mosquito borne States Embassy in Tanzania, infections. In particular, she Dr. Inmi Patterson made a also had the opportunity to familiarization visit to Ifakara learn about the Mozzie sandals Health Institute (IHI) in Ifakara, research and their potential Morogoro. scalability among Tanzanians; zoonoses surveillance activity Her visit commenced with a and its impact on prevention tour of the vector house where of Rift Valley Fever; and the she was oriented on various great research opportunities studies involving mosquito inherent in the viral load testing Ifakara Health Institute, Kilombero District, Morogoro Region – The Charge d’affaires (CDA) of the United States Embassy in Tanzania, Dr. Inmi Patterson chats with staff at the laboratory during her visit to the IHI. ©IHI 6 7 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 activities at the facility laboratory. opportunity to interact with laboratory At the laboratory where both clinic scientists and interns working at the and laboratory teams were stationed, HVL testing laboratory. When touring the teams were able to showcase the the Biobank section of the laboratory, great work performed by heath care she was pleased to note that there workers under the leadership and were more than 100,000 HIV samples collaboration of the R/CHMTs as well as stored at the centre, which could be USAID Boresha Afya – Southern Zone used by various scientists, and visiting technical staff on the ground. researchers. The CDA was particularly impressed by Overall, the CDA was captivated by the the strong collaboration and team work great collaboration of partners she amongst all key partners in Ifakara, i.e. saw on display during her visit and USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone requested IHI to do more to inform Program, St. Francis Hospital as well as the public on their capacity at various IHI through the Chronic Disease Clinic researches and seek for funding from Ifakara (CDCI) which runs the Care the US Government to undertake more and Treatment Centre at St. Francis research. Hospital in partnership with the hospital. She appreciated the fact that Ifakara Health Institute, Kilombero District, Morogoro Region – The Charge d’affaires (CDA) of the United States Embassy in Tanzania, through USAID Boresha Afya Southern Dr. Inmi Patterson seeks clarification from USAID Boresha Afya Program Senior Laboratory Services Advisor, Mussa Maganga during her Zone, collaboration between CDCI visit to the laboratory at IHI. ©IHI and CHMT as well as other partners including SAUTI and Kizazi Kipya had improved significantly leading to provision of high quality services towards achieving the three 90s. While at the HVL testing laboratory, the head of laboratory services at IHI, Faraji Abilahi and in charge of CDCI, Dr. Anna Eichenberger and her deputy Dr. Ezekiel Luoga all attested to the support USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone is providing. In particular they mentioned the support in human resources, i.e. four staff (two laboratory scientists and two data clerks) as well as providing capacity building through mentorship and technical assistance at both the laboratory and clinic. She also had the Ifakara Health Institute, Kilombero District, Morogoro Region – The Charge d’affaires (CDA) of the United States Embassy in Tanzania, Dr. Inmi Patterson is shown a freezer storing HVL samples by the head of laboratory services at IHI, Faraji Abilahi.© US Embassy in Tanzania. 8 9 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 Program Collaborates with Media to Document Progress in Malaria During the past quarter, the Program pregnancy at least one month apart at collaborated with health reporters each scheduled antenatal care (ANC) visit, to highlight success stories and best beginning from the second trimester. practices on Malaria achieved through US Approximately 90 percent of pregnant Government support. women in Lindi and 91 percent of pregnant women in Mtwara have received at least In particular, this documentation focused two doses of SP (IPTp2) therapy against a on the prevention of malaria in pregnancy national target of 80 percent. Similarly, an which, includes the use of long-lasting estimated 78 percent of pregnant women insecticidal nets (LLINs), prompt diagnosis in Lindi and 84 percent of pregnant women and effective treatment of malaria in Mtwara attending antenatal clinics have infections. In areas with moderate to received three or more doses (IPTp3+) of high malaria transmission, intermittent this preventive therapy against a national preventive treatment in pregnancy target of 60 percent. (IPTp) with a drug called sulfadoxine- pyrimethamine (SP) is recommended as These achievements are a result of the part of antenatal care services. The drug is good collaboration amongst the United Town Health Centre, Lindi Municipal, Lindi Region – Nurse in charge, Ms. Semeni Lubeya displays SP tablets as she educates given during pregnancy to reduce maternal States Government through the President’s pregnant women attending antenatal clinic the importance of the drug in protecting them and their unborn babies from malaria episodes, maternal and fetal Malaria Initiative (PMI), USAID, the Malaria. ©USAID Boresha Afya – Southern Zone/S. Mhando anaemia, placental parasitaemia, low birth Government of Tanzania (the Ministry of weight, and neonatal mortality. Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MOHCDGEC) and Tanzania has adopted the World Health Presidents’ Office – Regional Administration Organization (WHO) policy to administer and Local Government (PORALG)), RHMTs, at least three doses of the drug (SP) during CHMTs and people of Tanzania. 10 11 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 USAID Boresha Afya Southern Zone Newsletter | Issue 06 | September 2019 However, there still exist some