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Priority Programme Areas

 

CAPA and her Provinces will continue to distinct themselves by celebrating life through the love of God as they provide an environment of love, acceptance, care and support including prayers to those who are vulnerable to, or infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. CAPA will continue to seek better ways of mitigating these challenges as well as reflect on them and for theological education in the context of these epidemics. CAPA will advocate for and show compassion to those who are suffering and neglected by families and communities due to these infections. Therefore this CHSP II document shall focus on six identified and agreed priority areas of intervention namely:

 

Priority Area One – HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care

AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in history. Since then, there has been meaningful and concerted effort in all the levels of the society to address various aspect of the epidemic. Currently the total number of people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has reached its highest level. An estimated 40.3 million people are now living with HIV worldwide. CAPA in its effort to reduce the spread of HIV in her communities has recognized a number of key factors, which affect the effective control of HIV in Africa. These factors include:

  • The lack of appropriate and inadequate knowledge, skills and understanding about the HIV prevention among Church and community members;
  • Inadequate leadership involvement and commitment;
  • Funding gaps;
  • HIV/AIDS stigma, denial and discrimination (SDD);
  • Inadequate care and support for PLWHA, PABA, OVC, Widows/Widowers;
  • Inadequate policies on HIV/AIDS prevention.

Consequently, these factors have reduced the impact of the Provincial, Diocesan and Parish programmes in containing the brunt of HIV epidemic.

 

Specific Objective

Contribute to the reduction of the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa and provide quality care and support to those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS within the Church and community by 2011.

 

Issues to Address

  • Prevention and Education;
  • Leadership, Advocacy and Partnership;
  • Counselling;
  • Pastoral care;
  • Treatment and Support;
  • Theological Education and Training;
  • Human Sexuality;
  • Death, dying and Bereavement;
  • Stigma and Discrimination.

 

Expected Outcome

CAPA will have contributed to the continental reduction of HIV transmission within the Church and community and increase access to quality pastoral care, treatment and support for PLWHA, OVC, widowers and widows.

 

Priority Area Two -Tuberculosis Prevention and Care

Someone in the world is newly infected with TB bacilli every second. One-third of the world’s population is currently infected with the TB bacillus. 5-10% of people who are infected with TB bacilli (but who are not infected with HIV) become sick or infectious at some stage during their life. People with HIV and malaria infection are much more likely to develop TB. Noting the magnitude of the impact of TB in Communities and families, CAPA will in the next 5 years adopt specific strategies as outlined in the global plan to stop TB. These strategies will be implemented inline with CAPA’s values and faith. The Church Health Institutions and other social infrastructures within the Provinces will be used as a channel for effective implementation of all planned activities. These are geared towards the reduction of TB morbidity and mortality in Africa and achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6, Target 8 which is to halt and begin to reverse the incidence of TB by 2015. The main goal of CAPA’s involvement in TB prevention and treatment programme is to contribute to the reduction of TB morbidity and mortality in Provinces and Dioceses by 2011.

 

Specific Objective

Contribute to the continental reduction of TB infection, illness and mortality among Church and community members in Provinces by 2011.

Issues to Address

CAPA TB programme will accomplish the set objectives through active involvement in activities on:

  • Prevention and Education;
  • Treatment and Care;
  • Leadership and Advocacy;
  • Death, dying and Bereavement;
  • Counselling and Support;
  • Partnership and Research

 Expected Outcome

To have contributed in the reduction of TB infection among Church and community members and increased access to quality TB care and support services.

 

Priority Area Three – Malaria Prevention, Control and Care

Having experienced the devastating impact of malaria infection on families, communities and economies of African countries, CAPA’s call and mandate is therefore, to become deeply involved in all efforts aimed at controlling the transmission of malaria parasites and mitigate its prevailing impact on the continent of Africa. In addition, CAPA malaria programme will address some of the roll back malaria (RBM) target. This target intrinsically, fulfills the UN Millennium Development Goal of halting and beginning the reversal of the incidence of malaria (and other major diseases) by 2015.

 

Specific Objective

Reduce the vulnerability of children and pregnant women to Malaria by increasing access to Malaria prevention interventions, early diagnosis and care in communities in Africa by 2011.

 

Issues to Address

In order to actualise the set objective, the CAPA Malaria Prevention control and care Programme will continue to carry out activities on:

  • Prevention;
  • Treatment and Care;
  • Leadership, Advocacy and building partnership.

 

Expected Outcome

Increased access to sustainable malaria prevention, treatment and care activities by community members in Dioceses and Provinces, especially children and women.

 

 

Priority Area Four – Communication

The term “communication” means the process people use to exchange information and ideas. All communication activities make use of some form of media or channel of communication (e.g. mass media, community media, Internet and interpersonal communication). Much of the communication efforts and practices are concerned with transmitting series of messages to people. Nearly all communication practitioners stress that, for such communication to be effective, it should be a two-way process, with “participation” and “dialogue” as key elements especially when communicating HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria to community members. Within the context of this strategic plan, CAPA is concerned with programme communication, which is in itself informing and creating awareness among the Provinces, using the existing structure including the communication personnel about HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria infections and their associated stigmatization and discrimination. Programme communication also works to create an environment through which communities, particularly affected communities, can discuss, debate, organize, and communicate their own perspectives on issues of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria as well as share experiences and best practices. These environments are fundamental to changing negative perceptions and behaviours that undermine efforts to halt their spread. The Church through its broad coverage and network has enormous opportunities to address issues of stigma, fear denial and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. Therefore, an effective programme communication strategy which includes capacity building of communities will ensure appropriate utilization of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria services and a reduction of the incidence of these diseases in communities. The programme will also facilitate community adherence to medication rules to reduce drug resistance.

 

Specific Objective

Strengthen programmatic communication that will provide a platform for learning and information sharing on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria within the Church and communities.

 

Issues to Address

The Programme communication will deal with issues of:

  • Capacity building;
  • Advocacy;
  • Information sharing and partnership;
  • Networking and linkages.

 

Expected Outcome

  1. Increased learning, sharing, understanding and networking among Provinces, Dioceses and Parishes.
  2. Improved knowledge of communication strategies amongst communication programme staff and others within the CAPA network.
  3. A reduction in the level of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria stigmatization and discrimination at all level of the Church and communities.

 

Priority Area Five – Internal Institutional Development

 

(a) Strengthen Health System

Faith Based Organization (F.B.O), including the Anglican Provinces of Africa, has been involved in health service provision for decades. They account for over 60% of quality health care delivery especially, in remote communities that are socio economically disadvantaged with limited government health infrastructure.

CAPA’s second strategic plan has been developed at a time of increasing recognition that the achievement of most of the health-related MDGs target depends on overcoming health system constraints such as inadequate human resources and capacity, inadequate health financing and information, weak public private partnership, and increasing poverty levels.

In order to implement effectively the key strategic priority areas of this integrated plan, Provinces and Dioceses will have to use their strength to respond proactively to their health systems. Thus adopting innovative approaches including the use of Primary Health Care (PHC) strategies to improve the health structure, particularly in rural and semi urban communities, where high mortality and morbidity of these infections are recorded. These new ways will overcome challenges of access to diagnosis and laboratories, treatment, drug and food supply, basic information and evaluation of results. To address these public health concerns, Provinces and Dioceses will require actions across all organizational levels as well as with their stakeholders and partners.

 

Specific Objective

Strengthen CAPA health systems to deliver sustainable integrated health care services by 2011 to Church and community members in partnership with related governmental and non- governmental organizations.

 

Issues to Address

CAPA will achieve this by responding to key issues:

  • Leadership and Advocacy;
  • Partnership and Networking;
  • Capacity building and Training;
  • Research and information.

 

Expected Outcome

CAPA Health Institutions strengthened to deliver integrated services in Provinces and Dioceses.

 
(b) Strengthen Education System

Education helps to increase individual’s understanding of issues. The Church educational institutions (formal or Informal) empower communities with socio – economic and spiritual knowledge. The Church’s educational institutions greatly influences individuals, families and communities’ knowledge, attitudes, practices and behaviours in dealing with issues, especially health and cultural related issues like HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria and FGM among others.

Low level of knowledge and skills among Church workers and members in HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria issues affects the well being of community’s existence. To effectively deal with the triple pandemic problem, the Church must strengthen theological and non-theological (from Pulpit to classroom) educational system to transfer quality knowledge and skills to Church and community members.

 

Specific Objective

Strengthen the capacity of Provinces and Dioceses educational structure to integrate HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria education into Church programmes.

 

Issues to Address

The following issues will be addressed:

  • Leadership and Advocacy;
  • Human capacity building and Training;
  • Partnership and Resource mobilization.

 

Expected Outcome

HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria education form an integral part of the Provinces and Dioceses theological and non-theological training component.

 

(c) Sustainability of Programmes

Sustainability is a key element in every cycle of social development programme. The benefits of having sustainable programmes especially health related services in poor resource communities and groups cannot be over-emphasised. The rising donor fatigue in financing capital and long term programmes pose a threat to most development programmes in Africa. This has resulted in collapse and discontinuity of some valuable development projects. The inability of organizations to include  sustainability plans in their programme planning cycle has significantly contributed to the deplorable sustainability situation in Africa. This strategic plan will therefore utilize the organized Church and community structures in Provinces and Dioceses to improve programme sustainability.

 

Specific Objective

Ensure a sustainable plan in all the priority areas of social development in Provinces by 2011.

 

Issues to Address

CAPA will deal with the following issues to actualize her sustainability objective:

  • Leadership;
  • Ownership;
  • Advocacy and Capacity building.

 

Expected Outcome

Effective sustainability strategy incorporated in all implemented health and educational related programmes in Provinces and Dioceses.

 

Priority Area Six - Related Issues (Poverty and Gender)

 

Poverty and Gender

The relationship between poverty, gender and HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria is well established and their impacts in the lives of individuals, families and communities are enormous. HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria infections spread rapidly in conditions of poverty, especially among women and youth. These challenges have also increased the vulnerability of individuals and groups like youth, widows, and widowers to poor nutrition, harmful practices and or, risky behaviours that further put them at risk of being infected with HIV, TB and Malaria. The problem of gender inequality and violence has created unimaginable consequences on women, men and youth. For example, most women do not have access to correct information on disease prevention, thereby resulting to more women being infected with HIV, TB and Malaria.

The implementation of this plan will contribute significantly to the achievement of the MDGs for infectious diseases and poverty reduction as well as enhance gender equity in all levels of the Church and community.

 

Specific Objective

Contribute to the reduction of poverty and gender based violence and discrimination in Churches and communities by 2011.

 

Issues to Address

The poverty and gender programme will address:

  • Training and Empowerment;
  • Leadership development;
  • Partnership and network.

 

Expected Outcome

  • Increased gender equity in socio - economic services within the Church and community;
  • Contributed to the reduction of gender based violence and discrimination of men and women in communities.

 

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