KAPS Representatives Converge to Strengthen the National MARPS Priority Action Plan

By Ambrose Barigye

In order for the country to operationalise and implement the national strategic plan 2015/16-2019/20, HIV stakeholders have prepared a draft NMPAP plan to be used as a guide for implementing partners , districts, sectors( public and private), CSOs and FBOs in developing their annual plans to align their operational plans.
It will also be used as an instrument to assist with mobilization, allocation of resources as well as be a tool for Uganda AIDS Commission and partners to monitor the implementation of the national MARPS response.

It is upon this need that the representatives from the KAPs constituencies namely MSM, PWUDs, truck drivers, sex workers, transgender and LGBTI converged at the MARPS secretariat to discuss the draft.

Discussed also were the four outcomes indicated in the NMPAP draft plan where the network will combine all the generated input by the KAPS representatives to the Uganda AIDS Commission and have it included in the final draft.
The outcomes were discussed through group works and each outcome was later tackled by highlighting challenges or barriers hindering achieving the overall vision.

Outcome one is increased adoption of safer sexual behaviors and reduction in risky behavior. Outcome two is increased coverage, utilization of HIV prevention services. The third is strengthened sustainable enabling environment that mitigates underlying factors driving the HIV epidemic and the forth is achieving a more coordinated MARPS HIV prevention response at all levels.