A team comprising contributors from the Nation Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), Botswana Nation Coordinating Mechanism (BCCM), World Fund Program Administration, and WHO Botswana undertook closeout missions for the World Fund’s Grant Cycle 6 (GC6), which started on the tenth of February 2025 in Maun and Francistown, respectively. These missions had been conducted to evaluate accountability, overview program outcomes, and take into story implementation effectivity, as the nation ready to transition to Grant Cycle 7 (GC7), scheduled to beginning within the 2d quarter of 2025.
Following the conclusion of GC6 on December 31, 2024., and having focused primarily on HIV and TB, the closeout visits aimed to document key achievements, challenges, and lessons discovered, guaranteeing a seamless transition to GC7. The Ministry of Successfully being, acting as the Foremost Recipient, managed several sub-recipients (SRs) and sub-sub recipients (SSRs) tasked with implementation across districts, with WHO Botswana offering a must like technical toughen and oversight.
In Francistown, the CCM Oversight Committee engaged with the District AIDS Coordinator (DAC) below the Nationwide AIDS and Successfully being Promotion Agency (NAHPA), who equipped a complete background and analysis of the district’s HIV response. A number of metropolis challenges had been highlighted, including the proliferation of multiple concurrent sexual partnerships, rising rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unique HIV infections, rising teenage pregnancies among faculty-age childhood, and a surge in drug exhaust and crime.
The DAC also acknowledged power stigmatization, in particular among key populations, which hampers safe steady of entry to to potentially the most major health products and services. Alternatively, progress has been made, thanks to actual collaboration with team-primarily primarily based organizations (CBOs) and NGOs that are neatly-positioned to join with communities. These organizations were instrumental in venture outreach actions often beginning air ordinary working hours and on weekends making carrier offer more accessible.
The Francistown District Successfully being Administration Team (DHMT), led by a Public Successfully being Specialist and supported by the District Matron, Deputy Matron, and Pharmacist, welcomed the Oversight Team. They expressed appreciation for improved carrier offer supported by GC6 implementers, which has contributed to meeting key health targets. Alternatively, additionally they raised considerations about the compressed implementation timeline, noting that efficient execution most enthralling won momentum in mid-Q1 of 2024, leaving miniature time to provide the grant’s rotund ability ahead of its closure.
The team counseled the authorities for its toughen at some stage in GC6 nonetheless cautioned that the delay in transitioning to GC7 became once already impacting products and services, with some CBOs forced to scale down or shut operations altogether as a consequence of funding gaps.
At Space W Sanatorium, the Oversight Committee met with the health facility’s Head and representatives from ACHAP one of the GC6 grant’s key imposing partners. ACHAP’s mentorship and collaboration with health facility workers helped Francistown surpass its Voluntary Male Scientific Circumcision (VMMC) targets exceeding 1,000 procedures against an preliminary target of 200.
ACHAP also played a pivotal just in supporting the Adolescent Ladies and Young Ladies folks (AGYW) programme by means of the Formative years Pleasant Providers and products Centre. Their mobilization options vastly elevated the number of younger girls gaining access to sexual and reproductive health products and services within the district.
BOCAIP, subcontracted by BONELA as an SSR, fascinated about imposing the Human Rights module across Francistown and selected surrounding villages. The consult with highlighted the importance of persevered induction and capability constructing for SSRs, in particular in preparation for GC7. The sustainability of products and services emerged as a key area, especially those reliant on external funding. To take care of this, stakeholders emphasised the need for stronger integration with native authorities programs.
Nothing For Us Without Us (NFSWU), one other CBO below BONELA’s subcontract, applied human rights programming focused on sex workers in Francistown, Tonota, and Selibe Phikwe. Regardless of going by means of challenges comparable to delayed funding disbursements, diminished allocations, and misaligned targets, the group reported surpassing their carrier offer targets. Alternatively, low stipends and transport allowances forced workers to exhaust deepest sources to meet expectations.
The Oversight Committee proposed the approach of a detailed mission characterize to be shared with the CCM. Key follow-up actions embody:
- Enticing Foremost Recipients (PRs) to refine contractual mechanisms with SRs and SSRs.
- Advocating for timely contracting and moral induction of SSRs early within the grant cycle.
- Encouraging the CCM and Oversight Committee to behavior quarterly set up visits for continuous monitoring and toughen.
As Botswana prepares for GC7, the teachings and insights from GC6 would be potentially the most major in enhancing the HIV and TB response nationwide. WHO Botswana remains dedicated to offering technical toughen to make certain the nation continues to lift impactful public health interventions aligned with worldwide requirements.
