HIV/STI Unit is one of the public health programs in the Ministry of health that drives the program to achieve the goals for HIV/STI in Vanuatu.

The program has 2 staff in the national and 6 Officers in the provinces.

The key area for HIV/STI to focus on is as follow:

• Engage the Vanuatu population at large, using established local governance and civil society - to raise awareness and come to a nation-wide agreement on a strategy to address STIs and HIV
• Provide support to High Risk Groups, in partnership with NGOs, to increase prevention and treatment for vulnerable population, and reduce human rights abuses.
• Strengthen the Health System to improve testing, treatment and care services, as well as improve programme management
• Increase testing for HIV/STI through expansion of Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) services and Voluntary Confidential Counselling Testing (VCCT) in all provinces

The program this year 2017 has defined its own specific objectives and most focus on the following key objectives area:

Improve testing of STI and HIV/AIDS

Improve access and performance of services(Testing, availability of drugs, follow up,etc)

Improve treatment and reduce mortality

Rationalise and strength overall health system

Build support network

Increase access to services from community members and improve constant availability of the protection and treatment.

1. To engaged the KAPs in Providing information on gender issues in general and gender based violence in particular
2. To Conduct Gender base training Provide guidance on gender sensitization with specific reference to gender based violence.
3. Stimulate the development of initiatives geared towards eradicating gender based violence.
4. To Performed a risk assessment for HIV,Hepatitis and syphilis
5. To conduct capacity building for lay providers and nurses in the fields.
6. To conduct training for Nurses, HIV/STI focal point officers and doctors on antiretroviral drugs and its protocol.
7. To conduct training for Nurses on PMTCT.