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PROVINCIAL STRATEGIC PLAN (PSP) CONSULTATIVE PROCESS IN THE WESTERN CAPE
NACOSA facilitated a series of consultative community forums for our network of HIV/AIDS NGOs and CBOs in the Western cape. Our regular quarterly forums were utilized for this purpose in the six health districts of the Western Cape to compare, discuss and critically debate the Provincial Draft Plan and make suggestions for aligning it with the National Strategic Plan. Members of our HIV/AIDs network and the members of affiliated organisations, as well as Departmental and Municipal representatives were invited to these forums. Other sector representatives on the Provincial Aids Council were also invited to participate and invite their networking partners to the meetings. This unfortunately had not happened to the extent we envisaged, but we must however keep in mind that many of the sector partners also belong to HIV/AIDS NGO/CBOs and were therefore reached by our invitation.
It must however be emphasized that NACOSA cannot and are not prepared to take the full responsibility for the PSP consultative process in the Western Cape. Consultation is the collective responsibility of all the sector representatives elected to represent their specific constituencies on the Provincial Aids Council. The following presentions were given at each of the 6 sessions, in order to give background information and set the scene for the discussion groups which followed.
- The NSP and the Provincial Aids Plan: Process and Content NACOSA
- Prevention Treatment, Care and Support; Research, Monitoring and Surveillance Provincial Department of Health, Western Cape
- Human rights and access to Justice, Aids Legal Network Detailed minutes were taken at each of the meetings, which are summarised in a 54 page document avialable from NACOSA . A working document (summary report, also available on our website) was then synthesized from this feedback and presensted to the Provincial Aids Council (PAC) in June. Download this document
Outcomes
- The information and recommendations from the summary report "working document" will be incorporated into the existing draft plan and also forwarded to all Governemt Departments who are part of PIDAC (Provincial Inter Departmental Aids Committee for their cognisance and implementation.
- The PAC (since PIDAC seems not to have the capacity to coordinate this process) will take responsibility for finalising the Provincial Strategic Plan (PSP). This plan will be tabled for further consultation (focusing on coordinated planning and implementation) district and sub-district levels.
- A working committee to re-work and upgrade the PSP was appointed-the Department of Health, Local Government (represented by the City of Cape Town), Business Sector (SACOAH) and the Civil Society HIV/AIDS NGO sector (represented by NACOSA) will take the lead. Inputs from all Government and sectors represented on the PAC are expected. The working committee will work towards re-working and updating the current draft plan to be ready by the 21st August for the next Provincial Aids Council meeting.
- Once the re-worked draft plan is available, NACOSA will forward it to all our member organisations and networking partners for final inputs and will thereafter take the process to the next level of contributing towards integrated district and sub-district plans.
- The Provincial Aids Council (PAC) accepted the recommendation from civil society that the consultative process (with the focus on coordinated planning and implementation of HIV/AIDs activities, aligned towards the NSP and PSP targets) will continue at district and sub-district levels.
- An evaluation on the effectiveness of MSATs (to coordinate local HIV/AIDS responses) is underway and might inform the future development of this process.
- It is also acknowledged that, for local coordinating mechanisms to function effectively, all sectors (including business) should be involved and that government and local authorities should nominate representatives with decision making power to attend these forums.
- NACOSA will facilitate the participation of their HIV/AIDS NGO/CBO networking partners in this process of compiling district and sub-district HIV/AIDS plans and will liaise with all relevant parties in this regard.
- Any inputs/recommendations from our networking partners and others are welcomed and may be forwarded either to us at NACOSA or Mr Jimmy Ledwaba at the Department of Health, Western Cape.
NACOSA would like to thank all our partners for participating in this process and are looking forward to your continued inputs and commitment to ensure a strong, united response to HIV/AIDS in the Western Cape. NACOSA AGM 2008
NACOSA's Annual General Meeting was held on Friday 10th October 2008. Download the Annual Report.
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After the restructuring at the end of 2006, we’re now implementing our operations according to the new organisation chart. We have since appointed a personal assistant for the Director, a part-time programme assistant for CHAiN,a mentor/trainer for the Metro and a Community Based Care (CBC) mentor/trainer. Find out more about our team
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Community Based Care Coalition (CBCC)
Responding to the need for a representative body in the community based care (CBC) sector, we have established a Community Based Care Coalition for the sector in the Western Cape.
We invite all our members to view the terms of reference and to send us their comments and or suggestions.
NACOSA Consultative Structures
Our objective to facilitate strong, representative regional advisory forums on district and sub-district level – and specifically extending our services in the rural areas – is well underway. Consultative structures are already functioning in the Boland/Overberg, West Coast/Winelands, Metro and Southern Cape/Karoo regions. View a presentation outlining our structures New-look website: what's in it for you?
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Participants completed a general evaluation form on NASOSA’s services during the Summit and the results were overwhelmingly positive. Participants also made many helpful suggestions. We are taking the inputs and suggestions seriously and will adapt/add to programmes where necessary to offer our networking partners the services they need most.
The fact that 96% of participants who completed the evaluation feel that the NACOSA network represents them sufficiently, gives us a very strong mandate to continue with, and strengthen, our advocacy and lobbying function in the Province. |
