Tanzania’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has set ambitious goals for national expansion of HIV/AIDS
treatment and seeks to expand ART services to 200 sites supporting a total of 100,000 patients on ARV treatment within the next several years. The HIV/AIDS Twinning Center is supporting this rapid expansion through its Volunteer Healthcare Corps (VHC).
With the goal of increasing the institutional and human
resource capacity of HIV care and treatment centers, the Tanzania Preceptors Initiative places highly skilled
professionals at PEPFAR-supported sites, where they serve as onsite technical experts for a period ranging from three months to two years. During that time, their dual goals are to increase institutional capacity to
deliver and expand quality HIV/AIDS treatment and
care services and to increase staff competencies in HIV-related treatment, care, and support.
VHC volunteers mentor staff; assist with the provision of services as needed; and help with program expansion, quality control, and other support tasks beneficial to the host institution.
As of July 1, 2009, the VHC has placed 15 volunteers in Tanzania. Current placements include an in-service
training officer, pediatric clinical preceptor, pediatric nurse, and an adherence counselor.
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