Costing for PMTCT Programs

Established in 1986, the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) supports equitable health and social services for people living with HIV. GNP+ recognizes that HIV communities, traditional/religious leaders, and community health workers play an essential role in reducing the prevalence of HIV, and these actors provide significant capacity in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Without understanding the cost of a critical set of community-led interventions and the circumstances under which a community should use each intervention, many countries are missing the opportunity to capitalize on their community networks and resources. With the support of GNP+, a Capstone team travelled to Lusaka, Zambia to identify and collect costing and program information for community engagement PMTCT interventions, specifically peer support and/or advocacy activities. The research was compiled into a narrative and costing information to help both Zambian and global partners build a compelling case for greater investment in community engagement within their PMTCT and HIV programs.