ABSTRACT:
Issues: People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and individuals affected by Tuberculosis (TB) in Ghana face challenges related to access, adherence, psychosocial support, and continuity of care, contributing to missed appointments, treatment interruptions, and slow progress toward the 95-95-95 targets. To address these gaps, Hope for Future Generations (HFFG), a Sub-Recipient under the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), implemented the HIV component of the Community Systems Strengthening (CSS) intervention under the Global Fund New Funding Model III (2021–2023). The project was implemented across selected districts in six regions to reduce new HIV infections, scale up TB diagnosis, improve service responsiveness, and enhance PLHIV wellbeing. Description: The CSS intervention strengthened community support systems through Models of Hope (MoH), Mentor Mothers (MM), and Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS). These cadres provided HIV education, psychosocial and nutritional counselling, ARV adherence monitoring, and tracing of missed-appointment and Lost-to-Follow-Up clients. Case Managers developed individualized care plans to address complex needs and support progress toward the 95-95-95 targets. In 2023, HFFG engaged 267 MoH, 204 MM, and 51 CATS, who collectively served 17,488 PLHIV, exceeding the target of 15,876 (110%). MoH enrolled 13,288 clients (104%), MM reached 3,391 clients (139%), and CATS supported 809 adolescents (132%). Regular review meetings strengthened skills and service quality. The intervention also increased awareness and reporting of Gender-Based and Intimate Partner Violence (GBV/IPV), supported by strengthened referral linkages for survivor care. Lessons Learned: The cadre model improved community-level service delivery, follow-up, and adherence support. High enrollment reflects strong collaboration, community trust, and improved service uptake. Improved data quality and routine reviews enhanced accountability. Next Steps: Expanding cadre capacity, strengthening GBV/IPV referral networks, and integrating community insights into national HIV/TB strategies will further support Ghana’s progress toward epidemic control.