On June 1st, we held the CHIEDZA and STICH trials’ dissemination meeting in Harare. The CHIEDZA trial, implemented in 3 provinces across Zimbabwe (Harare, Bulawayo, and Mashonaland East) was cluster randomized and aimed to investigate the impact of a community-based integrated HIV services and sexual reproductive health services (SRH) including menstrual health management. The STICH trial, imbedded in CHIEDZA, measured the uptake and yield of STI screening and comprehensive case management including partner notification. The event opened with a welcome speech from Group Captain Dr. M. Dobbie from the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC). The speech recognized a need to cater for adolescents’ SRH needs in the context of high rates of HIV and STI infections among adolescents in Zimbabwe and highlighted key findings and recommendations from the trials. The event was chaired and facilitated by Dr. Tsitsi Apollo from MOHCC and Dr. Francis Ndowa from the Skin & Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic.
The CHIEDZA investigation team shared overall findings with stakeholders from government and NGO sectors that either played a role as trial implementers or are actively involved in adolescent health, SRH and HIV research. Insightful information was shared from both trials that included findings on the uptake of HIV and SRH services and STI testing by adolescents, menstrual health and family planning for adolescents, results from both trials, process evaluation and public engagement. In addition to this, 2 panel discussions were held on the experiences of the CHIEDZA/STICH providers and participants and on the topic of “Moving Evidence to Programmes: What do we need?” The dissemination meeting managed to effectively engage stakeholders with the trials’ findings while offering thoughts on how to improve HIV and SRH interventions and developing relevant policies to support adolescent SRH needs.
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