IPC
13/45 provinces
IPC works with community-based organisations and the government of Burkina Faso to widen access to high quality HIV-related services.
In Burkina Faso, one of the world’s least developed countries, an estimated 1.6% of adults were living with HIV in 2007. Around 100,000 children have lost at least one parent due to AIDS.
Despite its commitment to a strong response, the government is constrained by inadequate resources and infrastructure. This, combined with widespread stigma and discrimination around HIV, means that few people have access to cost-effective care and support services, and many remain unaware of their HIV status.
Civil society is under-resourced, and many non-governmental and community-based organisations lack the capacity to respond adequately to the epidemic in the country.
WHAT WE DO
Improving access
Alliance linking organisation Initiative Prive et Communautaire de lutte Contre le VIH/SIDA au Burkina Faso (IPC) works to improve access to HIV prevention services (especially for young people), care and support for people living with HIV, community support for orphans and vulnerable children, and HIV treatment services. In 2008, IPC provided financial support to 64 organisations working at community level.
Community-based programmes offering care and support to people living with HIV and affected children are constantly confronted by the epidemic’s devastating impact on the resources and capacity of households. IPC has embraced the tradition of strong extended family and community ties in Burkina Faso as an important resource on which to build an effective response to the needs of vulnerable children.
Working with government
In 2005, IPC supported the government HIV/AIDS department to develop a toolkit for community-based service providers to help them support people living with HIV to better adhere to their treatment. This resource – the first of its kind to be developed in Africa – has become the national reference tool for adherence. The organisation continues to play an important role in supporting the government to develop national HIV policies, such as the national framework for care and support to orphans and vulnerable children.
Regional Technical Support Hub
Since 2008, IPC has hosted the Alliance Technical Support Hub for West and North Africa, one of six regional centres that provide quality assured technical support to Alliance LOs/COs and other civil society organisations. The hub sources HIV thematic and institutional expertise from within partner organisations in the region and from independent consultants.
Other partners
In addition to working through IPC, the Alliance has collaborated with a micro-finance organisation (Aquadev) and a micro-health insurance programme (STEP/BIT) to improve the socio-economic status of poor households affected by HIV and those caring for orphans. This programme integrates financial and HIV-related activities to create revenue for households, enabling them to save and cover medical costs.
Because community-based organisations are crucial to widening access to antiretroviral treatment, the Alliance has also partnered with Association African Solidarit (AAS). This small community-based organisation provides free treatment and adherence support to 150 patients through a programme called ‘Projet Orange’.
FUTURE PLANS
Between 2008 and 2012, the Alliance will support IPC to reach more regions and more people. IPC plans to widen its coverage from seven provinces to fourteen.
IPC will mobilise and build the capacity of more organisations to implement HIV prevention, care and support at the community level. It will also expand its work to prevent mother-to-child transmission, improve treatment adherence and combat stigma and discrimination. IPC will promote greater involvement of community leaders, people living with HIV and other vulnerable groups in the design, management and implementation of programmes.