SARRAH provides technical advice, funding and support to strategic national initiatives to strengthen South Africa’s response to HIV and health. Its main focus is support for the Ministry and National Department of Health in renewed efforts to increase life expectancy, decrease maternal and child mortality, combat HIV and AIDS and TB, and strengthen the health system. SARRAH is designed to support the achievement of the targets in the government’s Negotiated Service Delivery Agreement (NSDA) for health.
SARRAH is a five-year programme funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (
DFID). Technical support and financial management are provided by
HLSP, an international professional services firm specialising in the health sector.
SARRAH is about partnerships
SARRAH is based on partnerships with leading national players in HIV and health. Key partners are:
The programme also supports civil society through the Treatment Action Campaign (
TAC) and, when established, the work of a parliamentary oversight committee on HIV and AIDS.
SARRAH activities
The SARRAH programme has five main objectives:
- Improving the quality of health services and access to healthcare.
- Strengthening the management and oversight of the HIV response.
- Supporting national reforms aimed at providing universal access to HIV and health services.
- Strengthening management and planning for health.
- Improving monitoring and evaluation of HIV and health programmes.
By supporting national initiatives in these five areas, the SARRAH programme will contribute to improved health systems in underserved areas of South Africa.
SARRAH support is flexible and will be reviewed regularly to ensure that it continues to support the goals of its partners.
Supporting equal access
In 2010 the Minister of Health signed a Negotiated Service Delivery Agreement with the President, in which he pledged to dramatically improve the nation’s health and health services. To this end he has outlined an ambitious ten-point plan to provide universal, quality health care that is free of charge at the point of delivery.
SARRAH is assisting the Minister of Health to realise this vision by support to projects that increase access to medicines, improve the health information system and strengthen planning and financial management in the health sector. SARRAH is also supporting strategies to improve the quality of and access to services in poorer parts of the country, establish independent regulatory bodies to oversee the quality of services, and preparations for the establishment of a new National Health Insurance scheme.
Strengthening the national HIV response
The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) is the national body that is mandated to coordinate all partners working in HIV and AIDS. SARRAH is supporting the SANAC secretariat, in strengthening IT, Human Resources and governance systems. It is also supporting the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation unit in SANAC.
SARRAH also provides support for agencies and organisations that monitor the national HIV response and advocate for expanded access to HIV services, such as the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC). The programme will support the development of a cross-party parliamentary committee on HIV and AIDS, which, when established, will strengthen oversight of the national HIV response.
SARRAH workstreams, activities and project briefs against log frame outputs. Read...