BACKGROUND
The review of the National Strategic Framework (NSF II) recommended that the National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2021-2025 should be positioned for (i) streamlining the coordination of HIV response at the decentralized level; (ii) strengthening capacity of districts and communities for improved coordination and management; and (iii) increasing the government allocation of funds at the decentralized level.

Under Act 613, provision was made for: (i) establishing regional and districts offices in each region and in such districts as may be determined; (ii) each office to be provided with public officers as the president acting in accordance with the advice of the commission in consultation with the public services commission; (iii) public officers shall perform their mandate as directed. This Act establishes the direction for current plans to strengthen the HIV & AIDS decentralized response.

PURPOSE FOR GAC DECENTRALIZATION
The purpose of strengthening the decentralized response is to ensure the allocation of dedicated experienced full-time technical experts with competencies and skills in HIV programming at the regional level and in the long term to some selected districts. As indicated in the NSP 2021-2025, the GAC intends to establish ten (10) Technical Support Units (TSUs) over five (5) years. This will ensure an enhanced partnership and technically competent coordination mechanism for a sustainable regional and district HIV response. In the process the regional coordination will be insulated from political fault lines which have in the past led to the rapid turnover of focal persons and ineffective decentralized response. This new direction will replace the current interim arrangement of Regional Focal Persons, while maintaining the role of District Focal Persons until such a time that the decentralization reaches all districts if required. In the meantime, the districts in the regions will be zoned and GAC staff together with the RECCOMs shall have oversight responsibilities to provide them with technical support in advocacy, planning, coordination, management and M&E.