OpportunityTitle: Establishment of a Strategic Partnership to Strengthen the Council of Ministries of Health of Central America (COMISCA) in the Central America Region under the President&apos;s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: Assistance will be provided only to the Secretar&#237;a General del Sistema de la Integraci&#243;n Centroamericana (SG-SICA) / Consejo de Ministros de Salud de Centroam&#233;rica (COMISCA).  SG-SICA/COMISCA is the entity that represents all of the Ministers of Health of Central America. It is both a political and a technical entity. SG-SICA/COMISCA is uniquely positioned, in terms of legal authority and support from all Ministries of Health in Central America, to collaborate with CDC-Central America Region (CAR) to enhance sustainable public health surveillance and laboratory networks in the region.
Description: The purpose and objectives relevant to this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) in the Central America Region are to support COMISCA, a unique entity that represents the Central American Ministers of Health, in carrying out its authority to develop plans for regional public health networks, including surveillance and laboratory. Through established and coordinated subject matter expert groups that are considered to be an authoritative voice by all countries in Central America, the FOA will support COMISCA to provide: 1) a learning opportunity; 2) a pathway for continuous improvement; 3) a mechanism for identifying resource and training needs, 4) a measure of progress with the potential to recognize the competency, quality, and reliability of medical laboratories vital to the provision of quality patient care. In addition, COMISCA will evaluate HIV surveillance systems and develop HIV surveillance strategic plans; and provide direction in the development of national standard operating procedures (SOPs) for linking HIV positive individuals to care and treatment services. Specific objectives include: &#149; By the end of year three (March 2018), two national reference laboratories currently enrolled in Strengthening Laboratory Management toward Accreditation (SLMTA) will have scored 5 stars on their laboratory evaluations. &#149; Enroll labs from three regional hospitals from two countries in SLMTA by March 2018. &#149; Establish an International Certification body for Central America Region by March 2017. &#149; Develop a 5-yr National Lab Strategic Plan in two countries by March 2017. &#149; Conduct national HIV surveillance system evaluations in two countries to strengthen HIV case-based surveillance in two countries by March 2016. &#149; Develop a 5-yr national surveillance strategy in two countries to provide and disseminate high quality and timely HIV surveillance and survey information that will be used to monitor HIV prevalence, incidence, and HIV-related risk behaviors in support of evidence-based decision making for program management and policy formulation by March 2016. &#149; Develop national SOP with key stakeholders to link positive individuals between HIV testing and counseling (HTC) program and prevention, treatment, care and support services in all 7 countries in the region by March 2017.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: PGO TIM
GrantorContactText: CDC Procurement and Grants Office  &lt;br/&gt;Technical Information Management Section &lt;br/&gt;E-mail: pgotim@cdc.gov &lt;br/&gt;Phone: 770-488-2700 &lt;br/&gt;