Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LILONGWE291
2006-03-30 09:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Lilongwe
Cable title:
MALAWI NATIONAL HIV/AIDS REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHLG #0291/01 0890931 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 300931Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY LILONGWE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2575 INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA SZ 0169
UNCLAS LILONGWE 000291
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/GAC, AF/S
STATE PLEASE PASS HHS FOR STEIGER, HHS/CDC
USAID FOR GH/AA, GH/OA, GH/HIV-AIDS, AFR/SA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KHIV MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI NATIONAL HIV/AIDS REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
COORDINATION AND DECENTRALIZATION
UNCLAS LILONGWE 000291
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/GAC, AF/S
STATE PLEASE PASS HHS FOR STEIGER, HHS/CDC
USAID FOR GH/AA, GH/OA, GH/HIV-AIDS, AFR/SA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KHIV MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI NATIONAL HIV/AIDS REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
COORDINATION AND DECENTRALIZATION
1. Summary: Malawi's National AIDS Commission has convened
the first review of the national response to HIV and AIDS
for the year 2005-06. The conference highlighted positive
developments in coordination among all partners, as well as
the decentralization of the HIV/AIDS response to the
district levels. Challenges identified during the review
included the need for greater engagement of key government
ministries, and the lack of capacity among district
assemblies to plan and implement the HIV/AIDS response. End
summary.
2. On March 21 the Malawi National AIDS Commission convened
the first six-month review of the national response to HIV
and AIDS for the year 2005-06. The five day conference was
the first full meeting of the Malawi HIV and AIDS
Partnership Forum that was endorsed at the last review in
September 2005. The Partnership Forum draws representation
from all sectors: public institutions and organizations; the
private sector; national and international non-governmental
organizations; community and faith based organizations;
development partners; and interest groups such women, young
people and people living with HIV and AIDS.
3. The general objective of this review is to analyze
achievements made in the six-month period from July to
December 2005, and identify key challenges affecting
implementation and outline action for improvement. The six-
month review focused on decentralization of the HIV/AIDS
response.
4. The Review will:
- Provide National AIDS Commission with an independent
opinion on the progress that the Commission has made in
coordinating implementation of its Integrated Annual Work
Plan
- Provide the Commission with qualitative feedback on
selected themes critical to achieving set national
objectives
- Identify successful interventions and approaches that
merit expansion and areas requiring remedial action.
- Provide critical data and information useful to adjusting
and re-focusing the annual work plan
- Provide information, data and experiences that help assess
implementation of the National HIV and AIDS Policy and HIV
and AIDS Action Framework for Malawi.
Outcomes and action points from the review will be captured
in an Aide Memoire that will be finalized by the Partnership
Forum and presented to the NAC Board.
5. This third review showed greater maturity and growth in
both organization and content. Compared to previous ones, it
was well organized and was attended by a representative
spectrum of stakeholders. The commitments of both newly
appointed Chairs of the NAC Board and the Partnership Forum,
who stayed and actively participated throughout the review,
were greatly appreciated.
6. There was, however, an under-representation of key
ministries (health, education, gender and finance). The
ministries are the major recipients of NAC funding and have
had perennial implementation problems that negatively impact
on all other implementers. The level and active participation
of these ministries should be given higher priority in the
next review, including the opportunity to present progress of
their own programs in plenary.
7. The presence of the District Commissioners added great
value to the discussions on decentralization of the response,
especially the practical challenges of transitioning of
responsibilities from Umbrella Organizations to District
Assembles. There was an open environment for exchange of views
and inclusion of NGOs, CBOs and private sector representation.
A main issue of the review was limited capacity of the DAs to
plan for and implement AIDS response. A major issue was DA
capacity to act as grants management facility for Global Fund
and other development partner funds in funding community level
activities, a critical aspect of the response. The development
of this capacity over the next two years was the main concern
of the review.
8. The Aide Memoire for the HIV and AIDS response review will
be released in early April, coordinated with the release of
the Aide Memoire from a scheduled Health Sector six-monthly
review.
GILMOUR
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR S/GAC, AF/S
STATE PLEASE PASS HHS FOR STEIGER, HHS/CDC
USAID FOR GH/AA, GH/OA, GH/HIV-AIDS, AFR/SA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KHIV MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI NATIONAL HIV/AIDS REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
COORDINATION AND DECENTRALIZATION
1. Summary: Malawi's National AIDS Commission has convened
the first review of the national response to HIV and AIDS
for the year 2005-06. The conference highlighted positive
developments in coordination among all partners, as well as
the decentralization of the HIV/AIDS response to the
district levels. Challenges identified during the review
included the need for greater engagement of key government
ministries, and the lack of capacity among district
assemblies to plan and implement the HIV/AIDS response. End
summary.
2. On March 21 the Malawi National AIDS Commission convened
the first six-month review of the national response to HIV
and AIDS for the year 2005-06. The five day conference was
the first full meeting of the Malawi HIV and AIDS
Partnership Forum that was endorsed at the last review in
September 2005. The Partnership Forum draws representation
from all sectors: public institutions and organizations; the
private sector; national and international non-governmental
organizations; community and faith based organizations;
development partners; and interest groups such women, young
people and people living with HIV and AIDS.
3. The general objective of this review is to analyze
achievements made in the six-month period from July to
December 2005, and identify key challenges affecting
implementation and outline action for improvement. The six-
month review focused on decentralization of the HIV/AIDS
response.
4. The Review will:
- Provide National AIDS Commission with an independent
opinion on the progress that the Commission has made in
coordinating implementation of its Integrated Annual Work
Plan
- Provide the Commission with qualitative feedback on
selected themes critical to achieving set national
objectives
- Identify successful interventions and approaches that
merit expansion and areas requiring remedial action.
- Provide critical data and information useful to adjusting
and re-focusing the annual work plan
- Provide information, data and experiences that help assess
implementation of the National HIV and AIDS Policy and HIV
and AIDS Action Framework for Malawi.
Outcomes and action points from the review will be captured
in an Aide Memoire that will be finalized by the Partnership
Forum and presented to the NAC Board.
5. This third review showed greater maturity and growth in
both organization and content. Compared to previous ones, it
was well organized and was attended by a representative
spectrum of stakeholders. The commitments of both newly
appointed Chairs of the NAC Board and the Partnership Forum,
who stayed and actively participated throughout the review,
were greatly appreciated.
6. There was, however, an under-representation of key
ministries (health, education, gender and finance). The
ministries are the major recipients of NAC funding and have
had perennial implementation problems that negatively impact
on all other implementers. The level and active participation
of these ministries should be given higher priority in the
next review, including the opportunity to present progress of
their own programs in plenary.
7. The presence of the District Commissioners added great
value to the discussions on decentralization of the response,
especially the practical challenges of transitioning of
responsibilities from Umbrella Organizations to District
Assembles. There was an open environment for exchange of views
and inclusion of NGOs, CBOs and private sector representation.
A main issue of the review was limited capacity of the DAs to
plan for and implement AIDS response. A major issue was DA
capacity to act as grants management facility for Global Fund
and other development partner funds in funding community level
activities, a critical aspect of the response. The development
of this capacity over the next two years was the main concern
of the review.
8. The Aide Memoire for the HIV and AIDS response review will
be released in early April, coordinated with the release of
the Aide Memoire from a scheduled Health Sector six-monthly
review.
GILMOUR