National HIV/AIDS Control Programme Print

The National HIV/AIDS control programme is one of the specialized programmes within the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. It functions under the Directorate of Disease Prevention and control of the Ministry. The Programme was established in 1988 replacing the National AIDS Committee that was constituted in 1986 to strengthen HIV/AIDS prevention activities.

The national HIV/AIDS control programme (NACP) is involved in the implementation of National HIV/AIDS strategic plan and provide technical support to the National AIDS secretariat.

The NACP is headed by a Programme Manager who is a medical doctor with Public Health Training.

The goal of the national HIV/AIDS control programme is to reduce the prevalence of the disease and mitigate its impact on the general population. Specifically, the programme has the following broad objectives:

  • To increase knowledge and promote behaviour change on HIV/AIDS through appropriate communication channels
  • To prevent HIV/AIDS transmission by ensuring the availability of safe blood nationwide
  • To provide knowledge and skills on HIV/AIDS prevention to youths
  • To increase access and promote the correct and consistent use of condom in the general population and amongst vulnerable groups
  • To strengthen and expand services for sexually transmitted infections
  • To reduce the transmission of HIV from parent to child through the provision of services for the prevention of parent to child Transmission. (PPTCT)
  • To improve access to  and utilization of VCCT services
  • To improve access to and utilization of ARVs.
  • To strengthen and expand the national capacity to design ,implement monitor and evaluate HIV/AIDS programmes in the country

Key programme interventions

  • Voluntary confidential counseling and testing (VCCT),
  • Prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) including Paedaitric HIV care
  • Blood safety
  • Antiretroviral therapy (ART)
  • Surveillance, monitoring and evaluation
  • Condom promotion (male and female)
  • Syndromic management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • Management of opportunistic infections (OIs)
  • Management of medical waste
  • IEC/BCC
  • Nutritional support to HIV positive pregnant and lactating mothers and children

Partnership

The national HIV/AIDS control programme (NACP) works in close partnership with the District Health Management Teams, UNICEF, WHO, WFP and other non-governmental organizations.

Funding to the programme is provided mainly by the government of Sierra Leone through its budgetary allocations and the Global Fund for HIV, TB and Malaria