TASO and CHP are all ready to create a partnership, to address the growing number of HIV positives and dire need of TASO to work with partners to meet its program targets.

It`s been an honor welcoming TASO Jinja staff to our office, today.

The purpose of the site visit of TASO Team at CHP offices to further explore possibility of partnership on HIV community interventions.

TASO and CHP are all ready to create a partnership, to address the growing number of HIV positives and dire need of TASO to work with partners to meet its program targets.

Possibilities of areas of interventions under TASO/CHP collaboration

a.    CHP and HIV/AIDS approach: CHP’s core mandate is offering accessible and affordable medical services to vulnerable populations like women and youth, with HIV/AIDS as one of its major focus areas on the CHP strategic plan 2023-2027. CHP is working in 3 different communities of Namulesa, Mafubira and Bugembe to strengthen HIV/AIDs awareness and testing campaigns, and is working with families affected and infected by HIV/AIDs in these communities to address this cause. Creation of partnerships is key in CHP program interventions for program improvement.  

b.   Limited resources for HIV program interventions.  CHP is being hindered by limited resources to scale up its HIV program interventions within the community, and is currently handling limited numbers, though there is growing demand for identification of the HIV positives. This will help in direct reach out to the real HIV positives, which is the focus of TASO.

c.    Scaling HIV/AIDs program interventions in the community:  There is need to scale up interventions, in a bid to cater for the increasing number of HIV infections in Jinja. TASO is interested in HIV positive and is looking for potential partners to work with in providing services like testing to it target beneficiaries due to the increasing numbers of HIV positive people, were a number of approaches like using testing kits, SNS are being used.

d.   Provision of testing kits, trainings and counselling and guidance interventions: TASO provides testing kits to its partners, trains staff of its partners, and collaboratively runs counselling programs with its partners. Therefore, there is an opportunity for partnership with potential partners in different communities.

e.    Scheduling HIV Day and populations: TASO and CHP are flexible and ready to the most appropriate days and locations to offer HIV services to identified HIV positives. Clusters like: schools, boda bodas, factory workers to mention, can be created.

f.     Scanning through CHP Program documents: Different documents were scanned through including: the CHP strategic plan, policies, receipts, staff files, program reports, registration certificates among others, and all were appreciated.

g.    Future plans and inspection: CHP has a number of plans within its current strategic plan among which include: Budling partnerships, developing a resourcing strategy, starting an admission unit for patients, increasing beneficiary numbers for different cases including: HIV, Malaria, TB, and Menta Health. Different service points within the facility were inspected including Offices, Dispensary, Doctors room, Testing room, proposed admission room and compound. The good management systems and professional work done were appreciated.

h.   Other partnership opportunities: CHP needs to bring on board a partner providing mental health services. Mental health Uganda is available and open to new partners, to work with in addressing the mental health challenge in communities and CHP should explore partnership opportunities with Mental Health Uganda.  

i.     Needed populations: TASO is in need of identifying with a number of populations within its interventions including: key populations, people who inject drugs-PWIDs, MSMs, Incarcerated groups, Truckers, Boda Boda men, Fisher men, and uniformed.

TASO is willing to start a partnership with CHP to provide services to these populations.

CHP treasures partnerships and collective efforts in addressing local community health challenges.