adminSibongile Maruta Herald Reporter
The Japanese government, through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has improved Zimbabwe’s HIV/AIDS monitoring and evaluation capacity skills through training health workers on strategic use of information through data analysis.
JICA coordinates Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan, particularly in developing countries. The three-day workshop for strengthening, monitoring and evaluating capacity for HIV/AIDS response was held in Kadoma last week.
JICA resident representative Mr Shumon Yoshiara said the project came after Zimbabwe requested bilateral assistance from Japan.
“This technical cooperation was initiated upon the request by the Government of Zimbabwe for bilateral assistance from the government of Japan, through JICA, which is the implementing agency,” said Mr Yoshiara.
“The capacity building collaboration’s aim was to help improve monitoring and evaluation (M&E) across the country, thereby improving the generation, dissemination and use of strategic information.”
The project, said Mr Yoshiara, was implemented in three phases, with the first phase having commenced in 2008 up to 2011.
Zimbabwe joined the project during the second phase of the project in 2013, which covers six other participating countries.
Mr Yoshiara said the Ministry of Health and Child Care managed to train and appoint HIV/AIDS focal persons, including monitoring and evaluation mentors, from the country’s provinces and districts.
“For JICA, its mission is completed as all outcomes of the project were met, but for the ministry, the journey continues to demonstrate its effectiveness and delivery of results,” he said.
Senior monitoring and evaluation officer in the Ministry of Health and Child Care (AIDS and TB Programme) Mr Ngwarai Sithole applauded JICA for its efforts.
“We are grateful for the support we are getting from JICA to improve the HIV/AIDS monitoring and evaluation skills in our country,” he said. “The district health information system lacked adequate information on HIV/AIDS as people do not come to get facilities available for HIV/AIDS testing.”
Kwekwe District health information officer Mr Kizito Mupunga said the project by JICA was effective in the monitoring and evaluating capacity for HIV/AIDS response in their district and they were going to engage local authorities to correct data discrepancies.
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