Overview

Strengthening the AIDS Response, Zambia (STARZ), a five-year project funded by DFID, was a technical assistance program that provided institutional strengthening to the National AIDS Council (NAC) as well as civil society and the private sector to better coordinate and implement the national response to HIV and AIDS. STARZ also strengthened the ability of NAC to collect and disseminate strategic information, including the establishment of a national monitoring and evaluation system and the national resource centre, to facilitate information dissemination. These aspects of the programme were fully integrated into the NAC structures. Beyond that, STARZ provided over 10 million USD in small and medium grants to communities and NGOs, and provided support to the private sector for the mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS.

Accomplishments

• Supported the National AIDS Council (NAC) to establish effective coordination at the national, provincial and district levels. This included development of the National AIDS Strategic Framework (NASF 2006-2010), and the enhancement of governance systems for the Council of NAC as well as the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) of the Global Fund.

• Work with the Cabinet Committee of Ministers on HIV and AIDS, resulted in a Cabinet-level declaration of support for a renewed prevention focus on reducing multiple and concurrent partnerships and increasing the prevalence of male circumcision; addressing the need for sustainable AIDS finance; and operationalizing the Decentralization Policy.

• With CCP support, NAC first developed a National HIV and AIDS Communication Strategy (2005), and in 2009, CCP supported NAC to develop the first National Prevention Strategy and the Ministry of Health Implementation Plan for the scale up of male circumcision.

• Supported improved NAC coordination functions through the design and the initial roll-out of the national management information system for HIV and AIDS (NACMIS). STARZ also provided significant support for the Resource Centre, including the development of the website: www.nac.org.zm, as well as the library.

• Supported capacity development of civil society to respond to thematic areas of the national AIDS strategic framework. This included development of numerous tools and guides to enhance the engagement of civil society, strengthening the voice of civil society in the national response to HIV and AIDS.

• Enhanced capacity of the private sector to respond to the national AIDS strategic framework. Specific support was provided for the development of materials for using the workplace to promote HIV counseling and testing, in addition to a national private sector strategy for HIV and AIDS, and other manuals and toolkits.