The Sustainable HIV Response in Central America project is part of the Regional Development Cooperation Strategy (RDCS) 2015-2019 and from the Regional Operational Plan for HIV (ROP 20-21) which aims to support Central American countries towards a politically and financially sustainable technical stage, in order to contain the HIV epidemic and meet the established “95-95-95” goals for the year 2030.

The Project implements its actions in four countries in the region: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Panama.

Objetive 1. Organizational Strengthening of FANCAP

USAID selected FANCAP as an organization to strengthen institutionally and turn into a local partner in the implementation of projects within the framework of PEPFAR. USAID carried out an analysis of FANCAP’s organizational capacity to conduct projects and manage financial resources, following a methodology for the evaluation of Non-US Organizations prior to receiving an award (NUPAS for its acronym in English), and on that basis an organizational strengthening plan for FANCAP was developed, the following activities were included:

a) Strengthen technical capacity for financial and administrative management of projects
b) Strengthen FANCAP’s Operating Infrastructure
c) Develop the implementation of Policies, Processes and Procedures
d) Human Resources training and development
e) Monitoring and Evaluation
f) Strengthening of working relationships with institutions in the countries covered by the project

Objective 2. Provide support to SE-COMISCA to position NC COMISCA® to improve access to medicines

The countries of the Central American region have committed to adopt the WHO guidelines for the treatment of HIV; including, among other actions, the investment of resources and the promotion of the procurement of medication at reduced costs*.
To comply with this commitment, there are different mechanisms that countries can use; these include the mechanism developed by SE-COMISCA for the procurement of drugs, laboratory reagents and other supplies which is called COMISCA® Joint Negotiation.
Acknowledging the financial, logistical and technical benefits of the mechanism; the project proposes to support SE-COMISCA, leader and coordinator of the COMISCA® Joint Negotiation, in improving the positioning of the COMISCA® Joint Negotiation, in four countries of the region (El Salvador , Guatemala, Honduras and Panama), through the execution of the following actions:
1. Develop an advocacy plan and its implementation strategy that allows the COMISCA® Joint Negotiation to become the preferential regional mechanism for the acquisition of medicines and strategic supplies for the response to HIV.
2. Develop actions to establish a roadmap to execute the first purchase of antiretroviral drugs and laboratory tests for the response to HIV carried out through the COMISCA® Joint Negotiation.
3. Support health institutions in the implementation of administrative procedures for the procurement of medicines and other strategic supplies for the treatment of HIV through the COMISCA® Joint Negotiation

* Sustainability Strategy of the progress of Central America and the Dominican Republic towards universal access to prevention, care, treatment, and support related to HIV within the framework of the Call to Action on HIV Continuum of Care, Prevention and Treatment and the 90 90 90 2016 – 2021 Goals.

Objective 3. Support to the strengthening of Human Rights Organizations in the management of strategies and tools to reduce stigma and discrimination against populations affected by HIV

The Sustainable Response to HIV in Central America project implements actions to support public institutions for the defense of Human Rights to reduce stigma and discrimination of populations who are most vulnerable to HIV transmission; therefore, and with the intention of contributing to the governments of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Panama, in order to comply with the commitments acquired in the Plan of Action for the prevention and control of HIV infection and sexually transmitted infections 2016-2021 of the World Health Organization (WHO)..

In support of Human Rights institutions, the Project developed a technical assistance plan for each of the human rights institutions, including the following actions: a) a preparatory phase to support human rights institutions in the development of the virtual environment to give training courses; b) elaboration of a route for the expansion of the training of trainers in human rights in government institutions that provide essential services to people living with HIV; c) adaptation to a virtual format of the “Human Rights of the LGBTI population” course with a focus on training institutional trainers; d) support in the implementation and monitoring of the virtual training course for trainers in government institutions.