Supported by Population Services International (PSI) Zimbabwe since 2007, FACT has New Life Centres in Manicaland (Mutare and Chipinge) and Mashonaland West (Chinhoyi) Provinces of Zimbabwe. In Manicaland, the programme covers Mutare, Mutasa, Makoni, Chipinge, Chimanimani and Nyanga whereas in Mashonaland West the programme covers Kadoma urban, Makonde urban, Zvimba rural and Hurungwe districts. Working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the goal of the programme is to contribute towards the reduction of new HIV infections and the impact of HIV and AIDS to people living with HIV through comprehensive post test support services in Zimbabwe. The following are specific objectives for the programme:
- To provide continuous psychological, nutritional counseling and support for people living with HIV
- To reduce stigma and discrimination related to HIV and AIDS
- To reduce secondary HIV infection through positive prevention and positive living.
- To improve access to antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), treatment of opportunistic infections, subsequent care and support through a well-defined referral system.
- To engender a good working relationship with partners, in the treatment, care and support for people living with HIV programmes.
FACT New Life programme offers the following services to clients:
- Psychosocial counseling
- Nutrition counseling
- Basic facts on HIV and AIDS
- Positive living and positive prevention
- Prevention of Parent To Child Transmission of HIV
- Family planning
- Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) adherence
- HIV workplace program
FACT activities in this programme are centred towards reaching out to the Zimbabwean populace with post test support services targeting the infected and affected, employees in workplaces and churches. Since the inception of the programme, more than 200 000 clients have benefited from post test support services offered by FACT in the two provinces. The New Life programme enhanced the normalisation of HIV in communities. Defaulter rate of clients on ART has greatly been reduced due to adherence counselling leading to improved quality of life and longevity of life to the infected. There has been increased access to treatment to clients and more importantly the project has seen clients accepting and disclosing their HIV positive status.