Right to Care (RtC) implements Paediatric ART since 2002 and renders direct services at >60 DoH/NGO clinics plus TA in 10 districts in 5 provinces (CoJ in GP; G Sibande and Ehlanzeni in MP; T Mofutsanyane in FS; Overberg and Karoo in WC; and F Baard, Namakwa, Siyanda and JT Gaetsewe in NC).
RtC has 2 training sites with plans for a 3rd. Adolescent days are held at 3 sites, offering adolescent adherence counselling; treatment simplification (daily fixed-doses); supervision of treatment dosing; psychological support incl adolescent support groups; and age-appropriate disclosure of HIV status.
In Leadership/Governance, Clinical Quality and Innovation, RtC provides TA to HAST program by providing key expert input, e.g. District Joint Review meetings where different sectors integrate their HIV plans and District Health Management Team meetings where District Health Plans are formulated and monitored. RtC assists with developing the NACS rollout plan; supports PHC Re-Engineering; assists with developing/disseminating clinical SOPs aligned to DoH guidelines; supports District QI Teams; and provides input to DoH Paed ART guidelines and HIV Clinicians Society guidelines for dx and rx of paed resistance, particularly 3 class failure. RtC participates in EDL guideline committee and was instrumental in inclusion of third-line agents and fixed-dose combinations in the ARV tender. RtC sits on GP Drug Utilization Review Committee and PTC and assists with revision of medicines formulary and reporting of ADRs.
HR Development in RtC utilises the expertise of its specialists, managers, trainers, clinical mentors and coordinators, thus forming district Mentorship Teams. RtC provides DoH-aligned training activities incl didactic courses; mentoring and onsite training; supportive site visits; clinical conferences and seminars; and pre-service training. RtC assists DoH and Regional Training Centres with development/review of training curricula and materials.
Skills development covers Paed NIMART, Paed HIV Mgt and Virological Resistance and Paed Adherence Counselling. RtC conducts annual prov paeds conferences. The RtC Paeds E-Discussion Group disseminates info to >1800 HIV clinicians and the 24/7 Paed ART helpline provides HCWs with consultation support.
RtC and DoH conduct joint QA/QI initiatives and supervisory monthly visits, particularly to increase facilities’ capacity to integrate paed/adolescent ART into NIMART; integration of IMCI & PALSA PLUS; close linkages to PMTCT for early infant diagnosis, treatment referral and infant CPT; paed retention in care incl lab monitoring and timely ART initiation; OI mgt incl provision of CPT and IPT; nutritional evaluation and malnutrition care; and referral networks to social and OVC services.
RtC uses HMIS TherapyEdge (TE) to reduce LTFU rates through automated SMSes, patient transfers with electr records, and clinical oversight through electr alerts, and to measure retention on ART up to 60 months, lab testing rates, and VL suppression. Automated download of NHLS blood results into TE ensures better use of lab data. At several TE sites RtC has ensured access to HIV drug resistance testing and surveillance and 3rd line ART for HIV DR. RtC covers record-keeping and registry mgt in site visits and training to improve site data quality and supports DoH with improving DHIS data quality. RtC assists provinces and districts with monitoring progress of key indicators.
Mechanism Name: HIV Innovations for Improved Patient Outcomes in South Africa (Developing & Institutionalizing an Innovative Capacity Building Model to Support SA Government Priorities & to Improve HIV/TB Health Outcomes for Priority Populations - “South to South Stellenbosch”)
Funding Agency: U.S. Agency for International Development
Procurement Type: Cooperative Agreement
Prime Partner Name: The South-to-South Partnership for Comprehensive Family HIV Care and Treatment Program (S2S)
Agreement Start Date: Redacted
Agreement End Date: Redacted
TBD: No
New Mechanism: Yes
Global Fund / Multilateral Engagement: No
G2G: No
Managing Agency:
Total Funding: 3,158,243
Funding Source
Funding Amount
GHP-State
3,158,243
Sub Partner Name(s)
(No data provided.)
Overview Narrative
South2South (S2S)will support the development and implementation of an innovative capacity building program that focuses on human resource development through training and mentoring of health workers involved in the care of pregnant women, infants, children, and adolescents affected by HIV and HIV/TB co-infection. S2S will provide Technical Assistance in Health Systems Strengthening,and Human Resources for Health. S2S has the following:Objective 1: To assist the National Department of Health to improve existing capacity building models, and where gaps are identified, to develop innovative capacity building programs to improve the HIV/TB outcomes for priority populations in selected demonstration sites. Objective 2: To build the capacity of DOH facility health workers, as well as NGOs, to deliver quality services to priority populations. Objective 3: To assist target districts through demonstration quality improvement projects to improve the quality of HIV/TB care, treatment, and support services to priority populations, with the aim of rapid scale-up and institutionalization of best practices identified. The program will be implemented in 3 demonstration sites in priority provinces, to be determined by SAG stakeholders. National-level technical assistance will be provided to National Department of Health initiatives. Handover to SAG training structures will occur through capacity building of regional training centre personnel, master-trainers, district management personnel, and PEPFAR district support partners. Capacity building output and outcome indicators will be monitored.
