Integrating maternal, newborn and child health into community-based HIV programmes
This HIV update by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance was developed in response to the increasing attention and calls for greater integration of HIV with reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH).
The update drew from a literature review on MNCH/HIV integration, documentation from the Global Fund, WHO and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, and case studies from Alliance programmes, such as the DFID funded MNCH programme in South Sudan. It provides an overview of the different components within RMNCH, the importance of linking RMNCH and HIV, and key interventions that link HIV with RMNCH. It also highlights that strategies to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality must use key windows of opportunity such as the Global Fund Round 11 to scale up coordinated and integrated RMNCH services within HIV responses.
Alliances integrated approach to tackle MDG 4, 5 and 6
The Alliance approach comprises of working with communities to reach those populations that are key to the HIV epidemic, while creating a series of entry points to the continuum of RMNCH services. These include community-based organisations:
- providing counselling and health information and education on SRH/RMNCH
- distributing contraceptives, lubricants and condoms
- accompanying people to access HIV and SRH/RMNCH services such as PMTCT
- doing community mobilisation and peer education to increase demand for HIV and RMNCH services
- training healthcare workers on the SRH/RMNCH needs of people living with HIV and key populations
- Advocacy for policies, supportive laws and appropriate health spending that promote access to integrated SRH/HIV services, including RMNCH. (2011)