USAID’s health initiatives  to provide HIV services during  World AIDS Day

SONGEA: The USAID Afya Yangu (My Health) Southern and USAID Kizazi Hodari (Brave Generation) Southern Zone projects under Deloitte Consulting Limited, have announced a provision of a well-coordinated HIV services during the celebrations ahead of the climax of World AIDS Day 2024 which will be held in Songea, Ruvuma region on Sunday December 1st.
Speaking in Songea at the Maji Maji stadium where preparations for the climax of World Aids Day 2024 are being made, the Reginal Technical Lead for AIDS for USAID Afya Yangu Southern Project, Dr George Sikalengo said that they are well organized to ensure that they provide services of HIV for the community and especially the youth ahead of World AIDS Day 2024.
“The two projects have been supporting the access to quality and offering friendly services of AIDS and tuberculosis to the community in Ruvuma Region. However, as the climax World AIDS Day 2024 comes near, we have organized ourselves very well and increased our efforts to continue providing HIV services to anyone who visits our pavilion, said Sikalengo.
Sikalengo added, “Here we provide testing services as well as connecting those who reveal HIV infections to treatment and care clinics (CTC), continuous treatment services i.e. antiretroviral drugs, collaborative tuberculosis services, testing of cervical cancer, family planning services as well as referrals for services for victims of various types of violence.
“Similarly, we are providing educational services for behavioral change to the community with the aim of increasing the ability of the community to come to health centers and request services, said Sikalengo while adding that USAID Afya Yangu Southern has also increased the ability of the community to identify those in need of services and motivate them to join/go to get the relevant service.
The national World AIDS day celebration for the year 2025 will be held on Sunday, December 1, Songea in Ruvuma region heralded by the theme:  “Take the right way to eradicate AIDS.”
Vice President Dr Philip Mpango is expected to be the official guest of honour.