ACTION PLAN of the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on the Response to HIV Epidemic NN Priority activities Implementing Ministry, agency, organization Timeframe 1 2 3 4 Section 1. Development of the enabling environment for the effective multisectoral response to HIV Objective 1. Expanding response/political commitment of high-level and local authorities, community representatives and civil society to HIV epidemic To develop and disseminate the key messages in the frames of BCC for representatives of key ministries and parliamentarians aimed at prioritizing of HIV/AIDS response among them To arrange a national conference on the issues of EVYP and MARA rights protection and fulfillment To conduct a number of workshops for high-rank officers of uniformed services on current issues of HIV response To conduct workshops on the issues of advocacy for representatives of the aimed at changing their attitude towards the populations vulnerable to HIV and formation of partnership between the and organizations implementing prevention projects among IDUs, FSWs, MSM To hold annually national academic conference with the aim of further development and support of the response to HIV epidemic To consider the issues of the response to HIV epidemic at the session of Inter- Faction/Inter-Standing Committee Parliamentarian Group on HIV/AIDS or at Open Parliamentarian Hearings To ensure collaboration (through holding open discussions) of the Inter-Faction/ Inter-Standing Committee Parliamentarian Group on HIV/AIDS, the Standing Committee on Health, Social and Environment Issues of the National Assembly and the aimed at year by year increase in state financial allocations for HIV/AIDS services including support for procurement of drugs for ARV and OIs treatment, PMTCT, VCT, preventive programmes for vulnerable populations To hold open discussions, using the, the mass media and community capacities, aimed at involving the ministries resources for HIV response To carry out activities aimed at involvement of local resources in the national HIV response To conduct campaigns aimed at involvement of private sector s financial resources for the National Programme implementation 1 2008-2011
To review and update some legislative clauses related to HIV prevention and having influence on the effectiveness of HIV preventive activities among vulnerable populations To participate in development of the Model Law on the response to HIV epidemic for CIS countries and to integrate the basic clauses into AIDS Law of the RA To make amendments to the RA laws On mass media and On advertising regarding free of charge placing of social advertising on the issues of HIV prevention To conduct workshops for local authorities, the police representatives, employees of education system, as well as departments of education, culture, sport and youth issues of regional administrations and, aimed at awareness raising, increasing motivation and for forming effective HIV prevention among vulnerable population including EVYP and MARA To arrange public events at the community level involving representatives of civil society and service providers to mobilize the communities for effective response to HIV epidemic To conduct workshops on the issues of advocacy for the local and national mass media representatives aimed at more efficient covering HIV prevention issues To arrange round table discussions, including TV talk shows, with the participation of stakeholders and young people To develop the needs-based specific messages for community leaders and civil society aimed at changing attitudes and behaviors towards the vulnerable populations To encourage communities to mobilize private sector resources to support national HIV response To conduct a number of training seminars for NGO representatives working with vulnerable populations, aimed at their capacity building for community mobilization in the field of HIV and STIs prevention and implementing prevention activities among vulnerable populations To conduct working meetings and special events with parents aimed at raising level of their knowledge and motivation for the response to HIV epidemic To disseminate information/education materials including key messages among parents to change their attitude to HIV prevention issues To involve parents in HIV preventive activities at the community level 2
Objective 2. 1 2 3 4 To conduct workshops for representatives of the key ministries and parliamentarians aimed at prioritizing the issues related to the treatment, care and support of HIV/AIDS patients To implement activities to promote ARV drugs registration of in the country To carry out complex activities on providing substitution treatment for HIV- 2007-2009 infected IDUs To conduct advocacy activities directed at drawing the attention of the community leaders to the issues of treatment, care and support of HIV/AIDS patients and expanding their involvement in raising effectiveness of the treatment, care and support provision to HIV/AIDS patients To develop and approve normative documents regulating the process of integration of HIV/AIDS-related education (including peer education) into the educational system, uniformed services and into the Criminal-Executive Institutions To develop and approve guiding principles for ministries and departments referring to management and coordination of HIV/AIDS prevention activities To develop and approve internal guidelines on meeting the needs related to HIV prevention in the uniformed services To assist the employers in developing policies on HIV prevention at workplaces, social support and care policy and programmes for employees living with HIV To develop national BCC strategy Combat stigma and discrimination of vulnerable populations, PLHIV and children born to HIV-infected parents To develop key messages targeted general population, vulnerable populations, including EVYP, MARA, HIV/AIDS patients and children born to HIV-infected parents, peers and parents To organize community-based events devoted to combating stigma and discrimination Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs 3
To mobilize the mass media to influence the general population in combating stigma and discrimination Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs Local comunity Mass media To carry out round tables and TV talk shows with participation of policy-makers, including representatives of the key ministries and parliamentarians from the National Assembly, to advocate for the elimination of stigma and discrimination towards vulnerable populations including EVYP, MARA, HIV/AIDS patients and children born to HIV-infected parents To train and service providers to show a more tolerant attitude towards vulnerable populations including EVYP, MARA, PLHIV and children born to HIV-infected parents To conduct special training-seminars for the mass media representatives aimed at the issues of developing press releases, holding press-conferences as well as of the correct coverage of HIV-related issues Section 2. HIV Prevention Priority area 1. HIV Prevention among vulnerable populations Objective 1. HIV prevention among injecting drug users To develop and disseminate key messages on HIV prevention among IDUs To involve IDUs the process of development of the key messages To conduct community-based and Church activities aimed at drug use prevention and HIV prevention among IDUs To continue developing capacity building of peer education system To hold annual national conferences aimed to develop and support peer education activities To harmonize implementation of peer education activities with those conducted within BCC strategy To continue implementation of HIV prevention and Harm Reduction projects To strengthen outreach work component through implementation of harm reduction project To set up a network of organizations implementing HIV prevention and harm reduction projects in Marzes and cities where the problem is prioritized Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs International orhanizations ÃÃ 4
To create efficient system of partnership between organizations implementing HIV/AIDS prevention programmes and local authorities for more effective coordination of the carried out activities To introduce substitution treatment programmes for IDUs infected with HIV To hold a number of training-seminars aimed at strengthening capacity of governmental and non-governmental organizations working in the field of HIV prevention among IDUs To hold a number of workshops for narcologists, including the issues of substitution treatment for IDUs infected with HIV To provide IDUs with STIs treatment within the health care institutions, and through implemented prevention projects To ensure access of VCT for IDUs to use counseling capacity for implementation of BCC strategy To ensure access of IDUs to psychosocial and legal services To promote establishing of rehabilitation system for IDUs Objective 2. HIV prevention among FSWs To develop and disseminate key messages on forming safer sexual behavior among FSWs To involve representatives of target group in the process of development of the key messages To strengthen IEC/BCC component of existing prevention projects To introduce the campaign No condom, no sex as a component of the implemented preventive activities To continue peer education capacity building using the capacity of functioning FSWs self-help groups and providing support to forming new self-help groups To harmonize peer education with activities conducted within implementation of BCC strategy To continue implementation of HIV prevention projects among FSWs and expanding their geographical coverage To design and introduce prevention projects or the components of existing projects focused on clients and permanent partners of FSWs To promote maximum possible condom use, applying as well opportunities of social marketing programmes To create efficient system of partnership between implementing organizations and local authorities for more effective coordination of the carried out activities To provide FSWs with STIs treatment through the health care institutions and existing prevention projects 5
To ensure access to VCT for FSWs, to use counseling capacity for BCC strategy implementation To ensure access of FSWs to psychosocial and legal services To hold a number of training-seminars aimed at strengthening capacity of nongovernmental organizations working in the field of HIV prevention among FSWs To set up a network of organizations implementing HIV prevention projects in Marzes and cities where the problem is prioritized To hold annual conferences on BCC, advocacy and fundraising Objective 3. HIV prevention among MSM To develop and disseminate key messages on forming safer sexual behavior among MSM To involve representatives of the target group in the developing of the key messages To introduce the campaign No condom, no sex as a component of the implemented preventive activities To continue peer education capacity building using the capacity of functioning self-help groups and providing support to forming new self-help groups To harmonize peer education with activities conducted within implementation of BCC strategy To continue implementation of HIV prevention projects among MSM and expand their geographical coverage To provide MSM with STIs treatment through health care institutions and existing prevention projects To ensure access to VCT for MSM To ensure access of MSM to psychosocial and legal services To hold a number of training-seminars aimed at strengthening capacity of nongovernmental organizations working in the field of HIV prevention among MSM To set up network of organizations implementing HIV prevention projects in Marzes and cities where the problem is prioritized To create efficient system of partnership between implementing organizations and local authorities for more effective coordination of the carried out activities Objective 4. HIV prevention among prisoners To continue and expand implementation of harm reduction and peer education projects among prisoners To organize study tours for high-rank officers of CEIs to countries where harm reduction programmes are successfully implemented in CEIs To hold a number of workshops for CEIs high-rank officers aimed at increasing efficiency HIV prevention projects implemented in CEIs 6
To develop and approve normative documents regulating implementing HIV preventive and harm reduction activities in CEIs To hold annual training seminars for prisons staff on implementation of peer education and harm reduction projects To complete forming of peer education system for prisoners 2007 To provide training of trainers on peer education To design relevant guidelines for conducting training-seminars among prisoners 2007 To ensure continuity of the peer education process by organizing trainingseminars for peer educators and addressing the issues of encouraging peer educators To develop and disseminate key messages on forming safer behavior among prisoners To involve prisoners in the process of developing the key messages To provide information directly through medical services To develop and disseminate information/education materials To develop and disseminate audio-video materials on HIV prevention To ensure access to condoms in all CEIs countrywide To develop and approve normative documents on provision of VCT for prisoners through aid posts in CEIs 2007 To provide STIs diagnostics and treatment To develop and approve a set of outcome indicators for evaluating efficiency of prevention projects in CEIs 2007 To conduct regular (not less than once in two years) evaluation of efficiency of implemented activities Objective 5. HIV prevention among mobile population To develop and disseminate key messages on forming safer behavior among mobile population To involve representatives of the target group in the process of developing of the key messages To provide information directly through health care institutions and VCT sites To develop and disseminate information/education materials 7
To conduct community-based awareness raising campaigns To carry out necessary studies for the development of more effective interventions targeted at mobile population representatives and their family members To design and implement HIV prevention projects focused on representatives of mobile populations and their families in rural and urban areas To develop mechanisms of access to mobile population and HIV prevention project implementation Objective 6. To ensure provision pre-departure and post-arrival information and access to VCT services at prioritized border crossing locations To provide STIs treatment to those in need To provide condom distribution using as well opportunities of condom social marketing programmes To build the capacity of local community leaders and communities to identify needs of mobile populations and their family members, involving women in this process To conduct a number of workshops for representatives of and governmental organizations implementing projects on antitrafficking and HIV prevention among mobile population To ensure bilateral cooperation with CIS countries regarding programmes on labor migration and trafficking, through development and implementation of HIV response among mobile population To encourage the cooperation of and governmental organizations at the regional level in implementation of HIV prevention programmes among mobile population To hold annual workshops for representatives of and governmental organizations implementing HIV prevention projects among mobile population HIV prevention among Especially Vulnerable Young People (EVYP) and Most at Risk Adolescents (MARA) To adapt HIV/AIDS-related educational materials to the curriculum of special educational institutions, including educational institutions for children with mental disabilities To conduct training-seminars for teachers of the special educational institutions who are due to give HIV/AIDS prevention and forming safer behavior classes 8
To provide methodological support to the special educational institutions through the cooperation and involvement of the relevant organizations, including the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the National Institute of Education and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs To set up a network of organizations implementing HIV prevention projects in Marzes and cities where the problem is prioritized To integrate the established peer education system for EVYP and MARA into the existing overall peer education system through social events and organizing a national conference To develop key messages for the various groups of the EVYP and MARA, and service providers dealing with young people aimed at changing their attitude and behavior To develop the Action Plan on IEC and BCC for different groups of EVYP and MARA To ensure STIs diagnostics and treatment for EVYP and MARA To ensure the access of EVYP and MARA to youth-friendly health services To conduct training-seminar for specialists of youth-friendly health services To provide psychosocial counseling to EVYP and MARA in youth-friendly health services To implement HIV prevention projects among EVYP To develop the guidelines and materials on peer education among EVYP and MARA To conduct workshops for organizations implementing HIV prevention projects To implement HIV prevention projects among MARA 2007 2007 9
To perform the tasks related to Harm Reduction among IDUs aged 16 and above, including needle exchange, condom provision, information/educational materials dissemination, all of which are aimed at awareness raining, as well as at changing attitude and behavior To conduct BCC aimed at changing the attitude and risky behavior of young IDUs To take steps to ensure access to condoms and VCT for young FSWs To conduct IEC and BCC aimed at changing attitude and risky behavior of young FSWs To motivate young FSWs to apply for STIs early diagnostics and treatment To take steps for ensuring access to condoms and VCT for young MSM To conduct IEC and BCC aimed at changing the attitude and risky behavior of young MSM 10 To motivate young MSM to apply for STIs early diagnostics and treatment To promote implementation of the ABC strategy among EVYP and MARA To ensure provision of condoms through youth-friendly health services, VCT sites,, and peer educators To disseminate information/education materials on the ABC strategy To develop and disseminate relevant information materials through youth-friendly health services and VCT sites To provide information to EVYP and MARA on the modes of STIs transmission, STIs symptoms, prevention, diagnostics and treatment, as well as information on the facilities where to apply for these services International organizations To ensure the opportunity to provide STIs diagnostics and treatment at youthfriendly health services To provide BCC to EVYP and MARA at youth-friendly services To continue activities on incorporating the issues of drug use and STI primary prevention into curricula of educational institutions To increase the role of health care specialists in primary prevention of drug abuse and STIs at the community level To conduct research for identifying possible reasons driving young people to drug consumption To introduce the campaign World without drugs as a component of regular activities on drug prevention with broad involvement of young people To arrange outreach work and events specially targeted at young girls To form the attitude and behavior patterns among young girls to avoid forced sex
To implement community based rehabilitation activities for EVYP and MARA 2008-2011 To develop procedures on providing VCT to EVYP and MARA To provide EVYP and MARA with HIV counselling To ensure assess to VCT services through existing youth-friendly health services VCT sites To organize special events addressed the young boys aimed at raising their responsibility on the issues of health and forming new social norms To carry out necessary studies for the development of more effective projects aimed at EVYP Priority area 2. HIV prevention among adolescents and young people aged 15-24 To incorporate 24-hour course on the issues of HIV prevention and forming safer behavior into curricula of all educational institutions To build capacity of school teachers and lecturers of higher educational institutions for incorporation of HIV prevention educational projects To provide school teachers and lecturers of higher educational institutions with relevant guides for organization of educational process on HIV prevention To ensure systematic re-training of pedagogical personnel using the capacity of teachers advanced training system To harmonize HIV prevention programmes with primary drug prevention and reproductive health programmes To empower young people, in particular girls, to participate in developing key messages and identifying the most efficient communication channels To involve actively the mass media in HIV preventive activities To conduct information campaigns focused on youth To use technical capacity of educational institutions for ensuring BCC 11
To use actively existing VCT system for BCC needs To ensure implementing community-based BCC activities To ensure continuity in the process of dissemination of key messages through using different information media, including TV To establish youth clubs countrywide aimed at forming safer behavior To conduct workshops aimed at ensuring practical collaboration between programmes on formal education and peer education projects To conduct training-seminars for those working for youth clubs To build capacity for organization and functioning of youth friendly health services To establish information/resource centers in schools at regional level To expand peer education through involving more educational institutions in the process To introduce peer education among young people outside formal educational system To establish peer education network for ensuring continuity of education To build capacity for peer education To create system of continuous training of peer educators To develop mechanism of creation and effective exploitation of institute of coordinators and curators for provision of peer education provision in educational institutions 12
To facilitate creation and operation of youth friendly centers Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs To harmonize activities implemented by different international, governmental and non-governmental organizations aimed at establishment of youth friendly health Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs services To conduct IEC and BCC for creating motivation of young people to apply to VCT services To ensure provision of VCT for youth on the basis of existing VCT sites with their referral to youth-friendly services To increase capacity of the school aid posts to ensure health counseling To encourage active participation of Church in the process of providing moral education To strengthen community activities aimed at improvement of upbringing work and at raising role of family To conduct information/education and condoms distribution projects Priority area 3. HIV prevention among uniformed services To organize training-seminars for lecturers and officers providing educational courses on HIV prevention and forming safer sexual behavior among staff of the, National Security Service and the To conduct HIV prevention projects among uniformed services To train the relevant number of staff for implementing HIV prevention projects To develop and disseminate information/educational materials on HIV and STIs prevention, safer sexual behavior and VCT-related issues To introduce peer education system into uniformed services educational system 13
To organize training-seminars and re-training for trainers on peer education from the educational institutions of the Ministries of Defense and Justice, National Security Service and the, using the capacity of the specialists trained in the frames of the HIV/AIDS and Uniformed Services UNAIDS/UNDP-supported Project To include in the medical parts of the military on-going educational programmes the issues related to HIV and STIs prevention, safer sexual behavior and VCT To include in peer education process medical units training sanitary instructors and educational istitutions training sergeants To provide programs and methodological approaches for peer educators, developed in the frames of HIV/AIDS and Uniformed Services project, to the military units for further application To create cooperation between uniformed personnel and community on the issues of using demobilized military for providing peer education in their places of residence To design and implement awareness raising and information campaigns for uniformed services with active involvement of the mass media working in the uniformed services of the Republic of Armenia for raising awareness on HIV and STIs prevention. To ensure structural approach for conducting BCC To publish HIV and STIs-related articles in Hai Zinvor weekly newspaper To use cultural events and educational activities conducted periodically among the military for delivering messages on HIV, STIs and safer sexual behavior To provide condoms in the military and CEIs through the medical aid posts and military shops To ensure additional printing of Armenian and Russian versions of Awareness and business cards for uniformed services which are to be distributed with condoms 14
To include STIs-related issues in the medical parts of the military on-going educational process To conduct training-seminars to relevant health care personnel of uniformed services on STIs clinical treatment To provide test-kits for STIs testing to the military hospital of and the hospital of the To introduce united system of STIs treatment developed according to the National Guidelines on STIs treatment approved by the To introduce VCT system (including possibility of anonymous testing) for the military and integrate it into the existing system of medical care in the army starting from regimen medical aid posts to the hospitals To establish 2 HIV testing laboratories in 2 garrison hospitals of the Ministry of Defense, for performing HIV testing of blood samples taken from VCT sites. To use capacity of Marz laboratories of the for HIV testing of blood samples taken from VCT sites of subdivisions located far from the garrison hospitals To provide the military with sufficient quantity of HIV test-kits To provide VCT for the police staff in Marzes on the basis of existing VCT sites of the system and HIV prevention projects (including possibility of anonymous testing). To use existing Marz laboratories for laboratory diagnostics To establish a VCT site in hospital of the Medical Department in Yerevan To introduce VCT system (including possibility of anonymous testing) for the CEIs staff and integrate this system into the existing system of medical care in the CEIs To establish VCT sites in departments of medical care of all the CEIs 2007 15
To use the HIV-testing laboratories of Marzes for screening blood samples taken from Marz CEIs; to use capacity of the NCAP laboratory for screening blood samples taken from CEIs in Yerevan To organize transportation of blood samples from VCT sites to laboratories reporting to the Ministries of Defense and Justice and the To provide information through medical services, peer education and mass media To organize training and re-training of VCT services providers To develop system of rules and standards for ensuring safety of professional activities; to ensure receiving orders of the relevant Ministries through using the system of rules and standards on reduction of HIV infection risk among the inspectors of guards company and patrol duty service during performing their duties and in states of emergency To recommend to the Criminal-Executive Department of the and the provide inspectors of guards company and patrol duty service with means of prevention and guidelines on their proper use To recommend to high-rank officers of the and the to ensure consistent provision with means of protection and first-aid kits Priority area 4. Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission 16 To integrate VCT services in all antenatal clinics of RA To conduct training and re-training of VCT services providers from all antenatal clinics of RA To provide all pregnant women, who give their informed consent, with HIV testing accompanied by pre- and post-test counseling To raise HIV awareness among women of child-bearing age To continue providing ARV preventive treatment to HIV-infected pregnant women and infants born to them in accordance with the National HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Protocols To provide infants born to HIV-infected mothers with formula To conduct training-seminars on provision of PMTCT Priority area 5. Voluntary Counseling and Testing for HIV To ensure mandatory performing HIV testing of donated blood, testing for making HIV diagnosis, unlinked HIV testing within the frameworks of epidemiological surveillance and researches as well as in the frames of VCT To provide population with HIV counseling and testing
To integrate VCT sites in all health care institutions countrywide To ensure timely procurement and delivery of sufficient number of test-kits for HIV laboratory diagnostics To set up HIV testing laboratories To conduct training and re-training of VCT services providers To provide training for HIV laboratory specialists To ensure well-defined planning of test-kits procurement and their quality control Priority area 6. Ensuring donated blood safety To ensure laboratory control over all samples of donated blood To use PCR for donated blood screening aimed at solving the problem of seroconversion To ensure timely procurement and delivery of sufficient number of test-kits with their quality control To promote establishment of blood banks To continue development of system of primary selection of blood donors To promote idea of creation non-remunerated blood donation and system of permanent donors, through development and implementation of IEC and BCC Section 3. Treatment, care and support Objective Ensuring universal access to treatment, care and support To ensure registration of ARV drugs To conduct follow-up for HIV/AIDS patients To develop National HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care Plan To review and periodically update the National HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care Protocols in accordance with WHO recommendations To ensure continuous provision of ARV treatment to all those in need To continue building capacity on provision of ARV treatment through trainingseminars, study tours and experience sharing To develop mechanisms of envisaging neccessary quantity, procurement and uninterrupted delivery and distribution of ARV drugs taking into consideration cases of arising the additional treatment demand To establish laboratory infrastructure for determination of sensitivity and resistance of HIV to drugs To train relevant laboratory specialists To provide post exposure prophylaxis To increase adherence to treatment among PLHIV To ensure registration of drugs for OIs treatment To ensure diagnosis, prevention and treatment of OIs 17
To strengthen laboratory infrastructure for OIs diagnostics To conduct a number of training-seminars for physicians providing OIs treatment and prevention To conduct training-seminars for organization and implementing collaborative activities of HIV and TB programmes To refine upon the National HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care Protocols, having included there the chapter related to care and support including part on care and support for HIV-infected and affected children To establish a network of organizations providing care and support to PLHIV To ensure palliative care including home-based care To develop the activities of the Service Delivery Mobile Team providing treatment, care and support To involve Church in providing care and support to HIV/AIDS patient, especially to HIV-infected children To build capacity of organizations providing care and support to PLHIV as well as capacity of self-help groups To build capacity of those providing treatment, care and support To develop and conduct IEC and BCC aimed at ensuring sustainable adherence to ARV treatment To develop and introduce HIV/AIDS programmes for adults and children with mental disabilities Section 4. Monitoring and Evaluation To develop key indicators for monitoring of the National Programme 2007 To develop and approve data collection procedure 2007 To conduct biological and behavioural HIV surveillances (epidemiological surveillance) in accordance with the National Guidelines on biological and behavioural HIV surveillance To create HIV Epidemiological Surveillance system within uniformed services To form working group on monitoring and evaluation under the coordination To conduct scientific and practical researches in the field of HIV/AIDS To ensure monitoring of the implementation of the National Programme on the Response to HIV epidemic 2007 2007 18
To ensure performing annual evaluation of the National Programme on the Response to HIV epidemic implementation and presenting the results on the Section 5. Financial resources mobilization To hold National Conference of Donors To develop civil society capacity on fundraising To conduct campaign for involving financial resources of private for the National Programme implementation To implement complex of activities aimed at increasing the State Budget allocations To develop and introduce coordinating mechanisms for avoiding duplication of activities conducted by different organizations Ministry of Finance and Economy Ministry of Finance and Economy Ministry of Finance and Economy Ministry of Finance and Economy 19