Neftaly: Strengthening Community Systems for a Sustained HIV Response Among People Who Inject Drugs in Eastern Africa
Overview
Neftaly recognizes the vital role that community systems play in driving sustainable, effective HIV responses — particularly among marginalized populations such as people who inject drugs (PWID). In Eastern Africa, stigma, criminalization, and limited access to harm reduction services continue to hinder HIV prevention and treatment outcomes for PWID. Through community system strengthening (CSS), Neftaly aims to empower local structures, networks, and civil society to lead and sustain high-impact interventions for PWID in the region.
Objective
To build resilient, inclusive, and community-led systems that effectively support and sustain the HIV response for people who inject drugs in Eastern Africa, while advancing rights-based and harm reduction approaches.
Strategic Focus Areas
1. Capacity Building of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)
- Support CBOs and peer-led networks with training in HIV service delivery, harm reduction, advocacy, and monitoring.
- Enhance organizational management skills including governance, resource mobilization, and strategic planning.
- Facilitate the formal recognition of PWID-led organizations in national HIV and health structures.
2. Community-Led Service Delivery
- Scale up community-based HIV testing, needle and syringe programs (NSPs), opioid substitution therapy (OST), and linkage to ART.
- Expand outreach through mobile clinics, peer educators, and safe consumption spaces.
- Integrate HIV services with mental health, TB care, hepatitis management, and overdose prevention.
3. Policy Advocacy and Legal Literacy
- Equip communities with the tools to advocate for drug policy reform and the decriminalization of drug use.
- Train peer educators and outreach workers to provide legal literacy and referrals to rights-based support services.
- Engage communities in national consultations and policy dialogues to ensure meaningful participation of PWID.
4. Strengthening Community Monitoring and Accountability
- Support the use of community-led monitoring tools to assess service quality, accessibility, and gaps.
- Facilitate feedback mechanisms between communities, service providers, and governments.
- Promote data-driven advocacy using real-time evidence collected from the community level.
5. Enhancing Partnerships and Coordination
- Foster partnerships between CBOs, national AIDS programs, health ministries, law enforcement, and regional bodies.
- Support South-to-South collaboration and knowledge exchange among Eastern African countries on effective community-led models.
- Facilitate inclusion of PWID representatives in decision-making platforms and funding mechanisms.
Outcomes and Impact
- Improved access to and retention in HIV services for PWID across Eastern Africa.
- Stronger, more resilient community systems that can lead, sustain, and expand harm reduction interventions.
- Empowered and organized PWID communities that are actively shaping national and regional HIV responses.
- Policy environments that support public health–driven approaches, reduce stigma, and uphold human rights.
Conclusion
Neftaly’s approach to strengthening community systems is rooted in the belief that sustainable HIV responses must be led by those most affected. By equipping PWID communities in Eastern Africa with the tools, platforms, and partnerships they need, Neftaly is building a future where no one is left behind in the fight against HIV.