EFFECTS OF PEPFAR ON BENEFICIARIES' DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH: PERSPECTIVES FROM A BENEFICIARY COMMUNITY IN GAZA PROVINCE MOZAMBIQUE

While the national prevalence of HIV in Mozambique is estimated at 14%, Gaza has the highest provincial prevalence at 27%, almost double the national estimate. PEPFAR's mandate is to combat HIV/AIDS by providing treatment for 4 million people, prevent 12 million new infections, and care for 12 million people including 5 million orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). In Gaza, PEPFAR funds non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which provide community level activities. However, no assessment had been done of beneficiary's perception of PEPFAR initiatives. This article shares results of a study carried out to identify the perceived effects of PEPFAR interventions on the determinants of health among beneficiaries. Qualitative methods were used to explore which PEPFAR initiatives beneficiaries believed influenced their determinants of health. The findings exposed beneficiaries' determinants of health, and which PEPFAR initiatives affected those determinants, particularly those focused on nutrition, environmental influences, and educational support services.