The Global Fund (GF) Round 2 HIV grant that phased-out on June 2009 was the first GF grant to be implemented in Lesotho since 2004 and its implementation in collaboration with other partners have contributed to the increase of Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) Centres in Lesotho from 4 in 2004 to 186 ART sites in 2010.

These sentiments were echoed by HIV and TB stakeholders during the validation workshop of R2 grants closure and assessment report held in Maseru on January 29, 2010.

Through R2 HIV grant, the Ministry of Health was supported to develop, strengthen and decentralize the national system of HIV&AIDS counselling, testing, treatment and care in all Christian Health Association of Lesotho (CHAL) and Government hospitals throughout the country including the private hospitals.

Among the activities of this grant are procurement of office furniture for all ART centers in the country, increase human resource through recruitment of 58 HIV and AIDS counsellors and 2 drivers to support rolling out of HIV Testing and Counselling (HTC) in all ART centers, procurement of ARV drugs, Opportunistic Infections and PMTCT drugs and distributed to all health centres to ensure adequate stock was available to support the treatment of all AIDS patients free of charge.

Home-based care kits and nutritional supplements were also procured to improve care and support of People Living With HIV and AIDS at community level. Additional 3 mobile clinics were procured for Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to assist testing outreach to the communities.

The impact of this grant, particularly the number of lives that where saved and the number of individuals that have now returned to being productive members within their families and communities, has been profound.

The grant assist to make significant advances in de-stigmatizing HIV and TB and in creating a more supportive environment for infected and affected individuals, families and communities and to allow their active participation in the national response to the two challenges.

To mitigate the effects of HIV and TB among Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), the Round 2 HIV grant supported OVC with secondary and vocational fees to ensure access to higher education and better future, in and out-of school life skills and peer education as well as house renovation and distribution of food packages.

Through this grant the national TB strategy and policy were revised and updated to intergrate the HIV component. The curriculum for nurses and other health professionals were also revised to include TB and tutor were trained to impart the knowledge to the students.

1476 traditional healers and 849 health care workers were trained on TB. The use of wide range of health and non-health workers expanded the reach of DOTS programme in all parts of the country and collaboration of traditional healers with Ministry of Health whereby TB patients are now referred to hospitals unlike before where they only used traditional medicine alone.

With the assistance of this grant R2 TB, laboratory equipment were procured and established laboratory quality assurance system which is now functional as well as establishment of electronic TB register in hospitals to trace TB patients in all parts of the country.

Above all the Round 2 grants created a learning curve for Principal Recipient and Sub Recipients. This first grant created massive capacity among Lesotho Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), the Global Fund Coordinating Unit (GFCU), the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MOFDP), the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (NOHSW), the National AIDS Commission (NAC) and other NGOs and private sector partners who participated in the proposal development and implementation of Global Fund programmes to fight TB and HIV.