Addressing Unmet Need in HIV Testing Services (HTS) for Priority Populations and HIV/AIDS Services for Key Populations Through Effective Delivery Models in Malawi under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

Background
As part of PEPFAR Malawi, CDC supports the NSP goal to end AIDS as a public health threat in Malawi by 2030. The program aims to improve HIV case finding among high-risk populations through using specific objectives and evidence-based innovative approaches. The program focuses on significant scale-up of routine HTS in health facilities and targeted community-based HTS for priority and key populations to reach the First 95 objective which aims at 95% of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status by 2030.

The program has scaled up its services to both facility and community levels. Despite reaching 93% of the First 95 objective, there are still gaps to reach underserved populations such as men, populations with very high HIV prevalence such as female sex workers, and populations with high HIV incidence such as AGYW. To prevent further spread and acquisition of HIV infection among priority and key populations and to control the HIV epidemic further, targeted HIV interventions are needed.

Grant Details
The purpose of this NOFO is to strengthen effective measures to address the unmet need for HTS among priority populations (men and AGYW) and HIV & AIDS services for KP in CDC supported districts in Malawi to support the attainment of the 95-95-95 goals based on the PEPFAR and Malawi Government priorities.

The recipient will use effective evidence-based delivery models taking into account geographical and sub-population disease burden. The NOFO will address gaps in the Malawi HIV program targeting priority (men and AGYW) and key populations by following WHO recommendations on task shifting for HIV services to increase human resources by implementing a dedicated HTS cadre referred to as HIV Diagnostic Assistant (HDA), peer KP educators/facilitators, and appropriate linkages to health workers at the facility level.

Eligibility Requirements
Open Competition

Period of Performance
The Approximate Total Fiscal Year Funding/Average One Year Award Amount/Approximate Average Award amount for Year 1 is $3,500,000. The total period of performance length is 5 years with an estimated award date of September 30, 2022.

Grant Value
$3,500,000 for Year 1

Place of Performance
Malawi