The Continius-Pv project, launched yesterday for 36 months, will allow people who are victims of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria to have access to care in the event of a pandemic. For its implementation, the regions of Sédhiou, Kaolack, Ziguinchor and Kolda are targeted. The objective is to screen and treat 2,100 people by the end of the project, scheduled for 2025.
By Justin GOMIS – In a context of scarce resources, it is a breath of fresh air. To “ensure the continuum of care for vulnerable populations for equitable access to quality services in a Covid and post-Covid 19 context”, the Continius-Pv project was launched yesterday at the headquarters of the National Council for the Fight once morest AIDS ( cnls). Funded by Expertise France to the tune of one million euros, or 650 million francs, it will take place over three years (2022-2025), in four regions of Senegal, namely Kaolack, Sédhiou, Ziguinchor and Kolda. With this funding, the aim is to ensure the continuum of care for vulnerable populations, especially women, by essentially improving screening and treatment capacities for three diseases: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. To do this, areas of intervention have been put in place. “We are going to develop the strategy of mobile units which will be made available to medical regions, health districts, and which will deploy them in the different areas, both for screening and treatment. We will also expand the community observatory, develop and strengthen cross-border strategies, improving links between providers on both sides of the border with The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Ziguinchor”, explains Dr Karim Diop, Executive Secretary of the Regional Center for Research and Training in Clinical Management of Fann (Crcf). According to him, the choice of these four regions is not fortuitous. “We did positive discrimination. We chose Sédhiou, Kaolack, Kolda and Ziguinchor, which have the distinction of being cross-border areas. These are areas that have suffered heavy damage during Covid-19, especially during geographical restrictions. This is the reason why we have chosen these four regions,” he explained. According to him, the State of Senegal has invested heavily in health to strengthen access to care, including prevention, diagnosis and care for patients with HIV / AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. “Despite all these efforts, shortcomings have been observed, and more particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to a sharp drop in attendance at health structures by vulnerable populations”, underlines Dr Karim Diop. To correct these dysfunctions, this project, which began last June, aims to screen and treat 2,100 people, including 1,600 women, by 2025.
It should be noted that Continius-Pv intends to develop an integrated approach, bringing together HIV, tuberculosis and malaria care services, in perfect coordination with public healthcare services at the level of medical regions and health districts, insists Dr. Diop. According to him, the Continius-Pv project “will make it possible, in a context linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic and social consequences, to provide a resilient response from the health system, to improve access to care for populations. most vulnerable”. Abundant in the same direction, Dr. Safiétou Thiam, Executive Secretary of the National Council for the fight once morest AIDS (Cnls), thinks that we must act together for the care of people living with HIV and hepatitis. “I magnify this project. Because HIV patients are the most vulnerable. The National Network for the Fight once morest AIDS will use all the means at its disposal in this project,” promises Dr. Thiam, “who calls on the whole community to mobilize so that people living with HIV can have access to care.” You should know that through this project, the Ancs, Plan International, Chai, Ssd, Rnp+, Crcf intend to strengthen the access of vulnerable populations to health care including the prevention, diagnosis and management of diseases, including HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.
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