DHAPP BACKGROUND

DHAPP



DoD HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP) Strategy

for Working With International Militaries Toward HIV/AIDS Prevention

DHAPP MISSION

· Assist in developing and implementing military-specific HIV prevention programs

· Integrate with other US government , nongovernmental organizations, and United Nations programs.

· Support the mission of the President's Emergency Plan for Relief (PEFAR)

Background

The US Government has a long history and extensive network of international collaboration and partnerships in the fight against HIV/AIDS, providing funding, technical assistance, and program support. These collaborations increase the fundamental understanding of HIV transmission and provide an evaluative basis for prevention and intervention success. The current HIV/AIDS epidemic is devastating. Militaries, in particular, have been identified as a high-risk population. In order to target this population, the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), San Diego, California, under the oversight of the Navy Surgeon General, has been tasked to serve as the US Department of Defense (DoD) Executive Agent for the DoD HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP).

DHAPP has successfully engaged over 80 countries in efforts to combat HIV/AIDS among their respective military services. DHAPP is a partner U.S. Government (USG) organization collaborating with the U.S. State Department, Health and Human Services, namely the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and US Agency for International Development. Working closely with the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Unified Combatant Commanders, Joint United National Program on HIV/AIDS, university collaborators, and other nongovernmental organizations, DHAPP assists countries in establishing HIV/AIDS prevention programs and/or strengthening their capabilities to combat HIV.

DHAPP’s goal is to maximize program impact by focusing on helping countries/militaries implement a program that identifies technical areas in which resources and attention are concentrated, with support of DHAPP resources. DHAPP works with a country and its military plans based on the following process:

    • Meet with key partners in country to determine provisional major program areas and other technical assistance needs.
    • Adapt DHAPP support to a country’s need for prevention of its HIV/AIDS situation based on existing plans and assessments.
    • Strengthen the military capacity for ownership and behavioral changes over the long term.
    • Possibly design a program with other country partners who have had successful prevention efforts.
    • Focus on impact of prevention activities through developing country implementation plans.
    • Implement and monitor program to ensure sustainability.

Countries and their militaries need strong programs with courses of action that demonstrate:

    • Visible support from the military sector
    • Development of plans of action and policies
    • Alignment with Combatant Command (COCOM) blueprint, as well as national strategies and priorities.
    • Increasing awareness within the military sector
    • Country military ownership of the activities
    • Prevention plans focusing on prevention of sexual transmission through voluntary counseling and testing, sexually transmitted infection (STI) management, behavioral interventions, reduction of concurrent partnerships, prevention and care of other opportunistic infections, male circumcision, changing male normative behaviors, and prevention campaigns
    • Reduction of mother-to-child transmission, and transmission through injection drug use (The primary focus of these interventions is on behavior change to reduce the risks of sexual transmission and to reduce stigma associated with HIV infection.)
    • Stigma reduction associated with HIV infection.
    • Surveillance and infrastructure development through programs focusing on HIV/STI/tuberculosis surveillance, prevalence surveys, laboratory support, monitoring and evaluation, training, and strategic information management.
    • Increasing capacity building.
    • Promoting sustainability by the partner country.Overview of DHAPP Strategy