APA-Harare (Zimbabwe) Zimbabwe has increased demand for integrated sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV services through centres of excellences created as models for integrated service delivery.
These centres, also known as one-stop shops, offer a range of services under one roof, such as family planning, HIV testing and treatment, antenatal care, cervical cancer screening and treatment, and prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the integration of HIV and SRH services has led to improvements in the quality of health care provided by facilities and improved health outcomes for clients.
Evidence shows that of the 18,756 women who presented for family planning services between October 2020 and December 2022, 16,298 or 86.9 percent were screened for STIs. This is a significant increase from the baseline of 54.6 percent in 2019.
All diagnosed STIs were treated on-site according to national treatment guidelines.
Over the same period a total of 6,680 people were tested for HIV, with 448 testing positive.
“All those diagnosed with HIV were referred for treatment, 4.7 percent (21/448) of whom were initiated on antiretroviral treatment on-site,” the WHO said.
The one-stop shop concept was introduced by the Zimbabwean government in 2020 with support from WHO and other partners as part of the national strategy to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The aim was to increase access to and uptake of comprehensive SRH and HIV services, especially for key populations such as young people, women and girls, sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs.
The one-stop shops are staffed by trained and motivated health workers who provide client-centred and non-judgmental care.
They also use innovative approaches such as mobile clinics, outreach services, peer educators, and social media to reach out to the communities and raise awareness about the benefits of integrated services.
The success of the one-stop shop model has been recognized by the government and other stakeholders as a best practice that can be replicated and scaled up across the country.
“In the past two years, the project has demonstrated improved access, uptake and outcomes of all integrated programmes as reflected through the data we collate and analyse annually for the project,” said Owen Mugurungi, Zimbabwe Ministry of Health head of HIV and TB programmes.
He said the one-stop shop model of integration has become the “new normal of service provision at all Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council facilities.
“This is a critical milestone in going beyond learning lessons on the model to adopting it as the permanent way of service provision.”
The ministry plans to establish more centres of excellence in all provinces and districts by 2025.
WHO continues to provide technical and financial support to the implementation of the one-stop shop initiative, as well as monitoring and evaluation of its impact on SRH and HIV outcomes.
JN/APA