Supporting HIV-vulnerable children in South Africa: Why health and social system strengthening is key
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by Ranahnah Afriye
South Africa’s HIV rates are among the highest in the world. We know that the country’s children – especially those who are orphaned or otherwise socially vulnerable – are critical to finally controlling the AIDS epidemic here.
This is the focus of the Government Capacity Building Support program, or GCBS, which I lead on behalf of Pact. A partnership between Pact, USAID/PEPFAR and South Africa’s Department of Social Development (DSD), the program has been working since 2013 to build DSD’s capacity to better support orphans and vulnerable children in an effort to reduce new pediatric HIV infections and ensure that all South African children and adolescents who are living with HIV receive the care and support they need to live healthy, positive lives.