One of the key concepts in health at present is ‘integration.’ UNAIDS and UNFPA believe that integrating sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV services can better ensure universal access to the information and services every person needs to make healthy choices. Whilst it is clear that the integration of SRH and HIV services makes 'good people sense', however, the ‘how to’ of linking and integrating these services at policy, system, and service delivery level is less widely known and practised.
The joint UNAIDS/UNFPA project on linking sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and HIV in seven Southern African countries, which began in 2011, was designed to try out and demonstrate how this can be done. With funds from the European Union and the Governments of Sweden and Norway, the selected countries were supported in reviewing policies and reorganizing and restructuring systems and services in order to develop a model for the provision of integrated SRH and HIV services, tailored for country contexts.
Led by the Governments of Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the joint project is beginning to demonstrate stories of change. Despite challenges, it further highlights lessons for implementation of SRH and HIV linkages and service integration.
