HOSPAZ together with its two sub-partners, Pamuhacha HIV Prevention Project and Tsungirirai Welfare Organization in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), Department of Social Services launches the United States for International Development (USAID) funded program: Sustaining Prevention, Care and Support Services for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC).
With funding from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the USAID, this program will provide support to 42,705 children, adolescents, youth and families affected and infected by HIV across four Mashonaland West districts of Makonde, Zvimba, Chegutu and Hurungwe for a period of 5 years (2022-2027).
While the country has made impressive progress towards HIV epidemic control, children adolescents, and youth experience a range of challenges and bottlenecks. The program will work with other non-governmental stakeholders to complement the Government of Zimbabwe’s efforts to address the current HIV treatment gap and improve health, safety, education, and stability outcomes for orphans and other vulnerable children, adolescents, and youth affected and infected by HIV in Zimbabwe. This will be achieved through:
- Improving access to HIV, care and treatment services for children, adolescents, and youth
- Strengthening child and family safety skills through improved access to HIV, Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response as well as child protection services.
- Improving economic stability and educational attainment for vulnerable children and their families.
- Strengthening local systems for planning, coordinating, monitoring, and assuring the quality of services for vulnerable children and their families.
Since HOSPAZ started implementing the OVC project in October 2022, it has enrolled 42,799 OVCs and their caregivers who are receiving HIV and violence prevention, care, and treatment services as well as socio-economic support services.
About HOSPAZ
Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Zimbabwe (HOSPAZ) is a national membership body, registered in Zimbabwe in 1999 as a private voluntary organization (PVO 13/99). It has over 100 members who provide a wide range of comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services as well as palliative care services throughout the country. The members comprise of home-based care & OVC care organisations, hospices, faith-based organisations, support groups of PLHIV and mission hospitals; with at least one member in each of the 65 districts of Zimbabwe. The organization’s mission is to promote palliative care (comprehensive treatment, care and support services) and support palliative care service providers, through capacity development, advocacy and membership coordination.