In February 2020, delegates from Côte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia’s Ministries of Health (MOH), National AIDS Program staff, and civil society representatives traveled to Zimbabwe to observe the implementation of community and facility-based DSD models. The visit, hosted by the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) and coordinated by ICAP’s CQUIN project, was an opportunity for the Ivorian and Ethiopian delegations to observe the implementation of Community ART Refill Groups (CARGS) and facility-based models like Fast Track in urban and rural settings
Dr. Agnes Mahomwa, principal secretary of the Zimbabwe MOHCC, and Dr. Robert Mudyiradima, chief director in policy planning monitoring and evaluation, welcomed the Ivorian and Ethiopian delegations to Zimbabwe. MOHCC National AIDS program staff and other stakeholders, including the DSD technical working group (TWG), provided updates on the status of DSD implementation. The teams learned about Zimbabwe’s DSD strategy and models, such as club refills, outreach, family refills, community antiretroviral refill groups (CARGs) and mobile ART refills.
The visitors also learned about the MOHCC’s collaboration with the Zimbabwe National Networks of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) in conceptualizing and piloting new DSD models such as off-facility client ART distribution (OFCAD), cross-border service delivery, and the use of private pharmacies. Mr. Tendarai Mwareka from ZNNP+ described the organization’s engagement in DSD policy planning and formulation, implementation, and M&E and their work to evaluate, identify, and advocate for the DSD models preferred by recipients of care.
The Ivorian and Ethiopian teams also visited four health facilities to witness Zimbabwe’s DSD models in operation. At the Zengeza and Malbareign clinics, the delegation observed the fast track models. At the Beatrice hospital and Headlands clinic, the teams learned about CARGs and interacted with CARG members.
“This gives an idea of the diversity of strategies to implement to improve the lives of our peers living with HIV,” said Agnes Kouassi, project officer from the Ivorian Network of People Living with HIV.
The visiting teams reported the trip was fruitful. “There are a lot of key lessons from Zimbabwe that can be duplicated or modified to improve health care outcomes for recipients of care in Côte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia,” said Siphiwe Shongwe CQUIN project officer in charge of south-to-south learning. “The next steps for the countries in implementing lessons learned on this visit is to increase the engagement of communities, civil society, and recipients of care groups in setting up these DSD models in their home countries.”