Building Integrated Health Systems

Despite the clear link between unsafe sex and the risk of both unintended pregnancies and the acquisition of HIV and Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), health services do not adequately address the interconnections between sexual and reproductive health (SRH), family planning (FP) and HIV/AIDS prevention. The need of the hour is, therefore, to have an integrated health system that helps facilitate the organization and management of user-friendly health services for quality care at the appropriate time. .Integration of services has the potential to be cost-efficient for both providers and service users, strengthens health systems and promotes the continuum of care in terms.

Realizing this need, CHETNA with support from UNFPA aims to strengthen of SRH and HIV services in three districts of Gujarat State, the State which has the highest number of new HIV infections, AIDS-related deaths and high rates of migration. The three identified districts are Ahmedabad, Sabarkantha, and Surat where there are high rates of migration. The project aims to achieve the following:

• Assessing staff competencies on the integration of SRH /HIV/ service provision and identify potential areas for providing integrated SRH-HIV services
• Capacity enhancement of health service providers on sensitizing them about discrimination in accessing services, the importance of trust building, technical aspects of integration of SRH and HIV services and its provisions and skill building provision
• Adaptation and compilation of compile technical guidance and information materials

The development of existing health facilities (private and public) and facility assessment tool has helped take a step towards identifying the gaps and opportunities for integration of services despite the project being marred with challenges.

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