The UNHCR And IntraHealth—Working To Fight HIV/AIDS In Southern Sudan

IntraHealth has been selected by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to lead a new program that aims to reduce the impact of HIV in Southern Sudan. IntraHealth has been working with the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army through a CDC-funded program to prevent a rise in HIV infection rates among the army. The UNHCR program will expand this work to other uniformed cadres—policemen, firemen, wildlife managers and prison officials—and their families.

IntraHealth will work with these groups to:

• Sensitize the leaders (commanders) about HIV/AIDS and their role in HIV/AIDS prevention care and support services
• Train HIV/AIDS educators and focal persons whose responsibilities will include educating the forces and training peer educators
• Establish  a counseling and testing center
• Trainf VCT counsellors
• Conduct HIV/AIDS counseling and testing
• Refer HIV-positive individuals to treatment.

Along with the ongoing work in Southern Sudan, IntraHealth leads HIV/AIDS-related projects in several other sub-Saharan African countries, including Rwanda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Namibia. IntraHealth's extensive experience in HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment will be applied to this program's new challenges.