Project profile — Health Systems Strengthening in Zomba District

The project aims to improve health outcomes in Zomba District, Malawi, by strengthening the capacity of the Zomba District health system to provide comprehensive, high quality and decentralized HIV/AIDS health services. In close cooperation with national and regional governmental institutions, the project (1) provides specialized training for HIV/AIDS front line workers; (2) provides mentorship and support to health managers and supervisors to strengthen system monitoring and evaluation procedures; (3) improves medical information management, referral systems and standard operating procedures; and (4) mainstreams gender considerations into health care services.

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Results achieved as of the end of the project (September 2012) include: (i) 600 frontline health care providers were trained in HIV/AIDS specialized care or counseling; (ii) decentralized Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Antiretroviral treatment services to 35 rural health facilities, and HIV Testing and Counseling services to 45 sites in the district were expanded; (iii) an electronic medical records system, which facilitates health care delivery by providing patients' historical data and generating reports, was rolled out in two health facilities; and (iv) 50% of the district patient population was decentralized, thus reducing the burden of the central hospital and increasing access to specialized health services for patients from other districts. These have contributed to strengthening the capacity of the clinical staff of 35 health facilities to provide high quality HIV related care and to improve health outcomes for patients on antiretroviral treatment in rural areas of Malawi’s Zomba District.