The United States Embassy in Mozambique has announced the launch of the Catalisar project, a community-led monitoring program aimed at enhancing responses to HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) in Nampula province. Funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this initiative will be implemented over five years by ADPP Mozambique in collaboration with Nampula's provincial health authorities.
The program will initially operate in 19 health units across Nampula city and the districts of Meconta and Rapale, potentially impacting over 60,000 people living with HIV. Emanuel Pereira, Associate Director of Communication and Community Engagement at CDC, stated during the project's launch ceremony on April 16 in Nampula: “O projecto Catalisar irá melhorar a qualidade dos serviços de HIV e TB.” He added that it would promote healthcare access, particularly among vulnerable groups.
Fernando Mitano, Provincial Health Director of Nampula, emphasized the project's importance: “O Governo de Moçambique acredita que este projecto é essencial para melhorar a saúde das nossas comunidades.”
Catalisar aims to identify barriers related to accessibility and service quality through community-led monitoring programs implemented by grassroots organizations. The initiative collaborates closely with the Civil Society Platform for Health – PLASOC-M using prioritized monitoring tools to enhance service quality.
Hellen Hallstrom from ADPP Mozambique noted: “O objectivo do Catalisar MLC é de dar voz às pessoas vivendo com HIV e afectados pela TB para que se envolvam e contribuam para reforçar o sistema de saúde.”
Through PEPFAR, more than 300 health units are engaged in similar activities nationwide. The U.S. government plans to extend support to approximately 50 additional community-based organizations for these interventions.
PEPFAR represents a significant commitment by any nation to combat a single disease, supported bipartisanly across ten U.S. Congresses and four presidential administrations. It operates in Mozambique through six U.S. government agencies including USAID, CDC, DOD, DOS, HRSA, and Peace Corps.
Since 2001, CDC has collaborated closely with Mozambique's government and various partners to address major public health challenges like HIV, TB, Malaria, and COVID-19.