HSCL ACE-3 COMMUNITY SERVICES-LED JOINT STAKEHOLDERS DISTRICT ENGAGEMENTS IN ZAMFARA STATE
As part of Project Hope's mission to bolster community involvement in the fight against HIV, the HSCL ACE 3 project collaborated with local organizations like the Save the Mother and Children Initiative (SMACI) to hold Joint Stakeholders District Engagement Meetings across Zamfara State.
These meetings, held on May 16th, 22nd, and 31st at the Emirs' Palaces in Kaura Namoda, Talata-Mafara, and Gusau respectively, brought together key stakeholders at the local government level. Participants included Emirs, religious leaders, district heads, and other influential figures.
The ACE 3 team presented an overview of the project, its goals, and its achievements, emphasizing the critical role of community engagement in tackling HIV. Discussions focused on improving HIV testing rates, promoting PrEP use among at-risk populations, ensuring treatment adherence, preventing mother-to-child transmission, and implementing effective community interventions.
The meetings yielded valuable feedback and action points. Stakeholders proposed leveraging military camps for outreach testing, ensuring HIV and GBV screening for released captives, advocating for mandatory HIV testing for couples with the state assembly, and raising awareness about PrEP to reduce HIV-related marital dissolutions.
Furthermore, the engagement fostered commitments from community leaders to:
- Leaders pledged to actively promote HIV testing and treatment initiatives within their communities.
- Religious leaders committed to sensitizing communities about the importance of HIV testing, including the use of confidential self-testing tools.
- Collaboration will be established to utilize local health facility committees for tracking clients for viral load testing and refilling medications for those experiencing treatment interruptions. Additionally, district heads will chair their respective health committees to bolster community support for health initiatives.
The Gusau Emirate Council has already taken a significant step, advocating for a law mandating premarital HIV testing, currently awaiting enactment after passing the second reading in the state assembly.
The Joint Stakeholders District Engagement Meetings proved pivotal in strengthening collaboration between communities and stakeholders in the fight against HIV. By identifying challenges like low testing rates, treatment interruptions, and low clinic attendance among pregnant women, the meetings paved the way for targeted interventions and increased community ownership of health initiatives in Zamfara State.