Publications

Creating an Enabling Environment for Task Shifting in HIV and AIDS Services: Recommendations Based on Two African Country Case Studies

HPI TO1
2/1/2010
English
Full Document (pdf 312.0 kb)

At the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS in June 2006, Member States agreed to work toward the broad goal of "universal access to comprehensive prevention programs, treatment, care, and support" by 2010. However, without the strengthening of health systems, including a significant expansion of the health workforce, universal access to HIV services will not be possible. There is a clear need to plan for the strengthening and expansion of the health workforce in the context of the HIV epidemic. Task shifting is the "process of delegation whereby tasks are moved, where appropriate, to less specialized health workers" (WHO, 2007c, p. 3). Shifting tasks is especially beneficial when considering the amount of time that it takes to train qualified doctors and nurses, compared with the amount of time needed to train a community health worker in specific tasks. Many African countries have already recognized the value of task shifting in the health sector and have begun shifting certain tasks. The USAID | Health Policy Initiative, Task Order 1, with the East, Central, and Southern Africa (ECSA) Health Community and ECSA College of Nurses, carried out case studies in Swaziland (Mehlomakhulu, 2010) and Uganda (Dambisya, 2010) to obtain a better understanding of the task-shifting approaches and policies in these countries.

Document Type:	Policy Briefs
No. of Pages:	4
Country:	Swaziland, Uganda, AFRICA
Keywords:	HIV/AIDS, Case Studies, Strategic Planning

Last Updated 11/29/10

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