Zimbabwe HIV Care
and Treatment (ZHCT) Mechanism

Award Information

Zimbabwe Health Interventions
(ZHI) implemented the FHI 360-led
Zimbabwe HIV Care and Treatment (ZHCT) Mechanism including the DREAMS program as a subgrantee from October of 2020 to September 2021. The ZHCT mechanism was
funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Zimbabwe.
Between September 24^th, 2015, to January 31^st,
2022, the FHI 360 mechanism contributed significantly to the national
HIV and AIDS response in Zimbabwe, of which the overall goal was to increase
availability and quality of comprehensive HIV care and treatment (C&T)
services, towards the national achievement of HIV epidemic control. These
initial objectives contributed to that goal:

1.  Increase the
   availability of quality comprehensive C&T services for HIV-positive
   persons at community level; and
2. Strengthen community-level
   health systems to monitor, track and retain persons living with HIV
   (PLHIV) in care.

Then from October 1^st,
2017, it incorporated the Zimbabwe Determined, Resilient, Empowered,
AIDS- Free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS) project. The DREAMS project
aimed to reduce new HIV infections amongst adolescent girls and young women
(AGYW) aged 10-24 years, including both school-based and community-based
interventions, anchored on layering of services. Its strategic objectives were
as follows:

1. Through a holistic
   leadership program, empower adolescents and youth adopt healthy lifestyle
   practices that reduce new HIV infection and promote healthy living.
2. Address socio-cultural,
   religious, and legal barriers that increase vulnerability to HIV and
   impede access to services for adolescents and youths in Zimbabwe.

ZHI implemented, the C&T component of the
award was implemented in nine
districts first in Manicaland and
then Midlands, while
DREAMS activities were conducted in twelve districts across five provinces
(Manicaland, Midlands, Bulawayo, Mashonaland Central and Matabeleland South).
Under the ZHCT Mechanism, ZHI provided both technical assistance (TA) and
direct service delivery (DSD) to complement the Ministry of Health and Child
Care’s (MOHCC’s) response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. The DREAMS
program was implemented in close collaboration with various implementing
partners (IPs) via subawards. ZHI through this mechanism provided TA and support to the Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) for
the COVID-19 pandemic response.