Strengthening the Capacity of the National AIDS Control Committee (NACC) to Lead the Cameroon HIV Response and Develop Systems Required to Achieve and Sustain HIV Epidemic Control under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) | CDC RFA GH17 1717

Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA GH17 1717

This grant opportunity, issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under PEPFAR, focuses on strengthening Cameroon s National AIDS Control Committee (NACC) so it can more effectively lead and coordinate the country s HIV response and put in place the systems needed to achieve and sustain HIV epidemic control. The funding is designed to support Cameroon s decision to adopt the 2015 WHO Test and Start guidelines, meaning people diagnosed with HIV should begin antiretroviral therapy (ART) as soon as possible, rather than waiting for disease progression. That policy shift is framed as a key pathway to reaching the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets (diagnosing 90 percent of people living with HIV, treating 90 percent of those diagnosed, and achieving viral suppression for 90 percent of those on treatment), which are central benchmarks for epidemic control.

The request emphasizes that policy decisions have already been made at the national level to increase service uptake and improve patient monitoring, but that implementation depends on upgrading the capacity of the national program and the health system. In practical terms, the cooperative agreement would help NACC strengthen leadership, coordination, and technical oversight across national, regional, district, and facility levels so that HIV services are delivered consistently and at sufficient quality and scale. The overall intent is not just expanding services, but improving the systems behind them: clinical capacity, laboratory networks, data and strategic information, quality management, and integration with related health priorities like tuberculosis (TB) and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT).

The opportunity lays out several major program areas the funding would support. First, it calls for building the capacity of newly upgraded ART sites, which implies ensuring facilities have trained staff, clear clinical protocols aligned with Test and Start, adequate patient flow and follow up systems, and the operational ability to initiate and maintain patients on treatment. Second, it prioritizes prevention among adolescent girls and young women by improving knowledge and reducing risky behaviors linked to HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), reflecting the heightened vulnerability of this population in many generalized epidemics and the importance of targeted prevention approaches.

A third focus is strengthening laboratory policies and infrastructure to support testing and ongoing monitoring across the health system. In the context of Test and Start and the 90-90-90 framework, laboratory capacity is essential for HIV diagnosis, baseline assessments, and especially viral load monitoring to confirm treatment effectiveness and guide adherence and regimen decisions. Closely linked to this, the grant calls for developing a national quality management improvement policy for Cameroon, suggesting an emphasis on standardizing quality assurance and quality improvement practices across HIV services and laboratories so performance is measurable, comparable, and continuously improved rather than dependent on isolated projects.

Another core element is strengthening NACC s ability to generate high quality strategic information for decision making. This typically means improving routine data systems, data quality assurance, analysis and use of data for targeting interventions, monitoring outcomes like retention and viral suppression, and supporting timely program adjustments. Strong strategic information also supports transparency and accountability, helping national leaders understand where gaps exist geographically or along the care cascade and what actions are needed to close them.

The grant also highlights TB/HIV integration by reinforcing infection control, diagnosis, and case management of TB/HIV coinfection in both TB and HIV clinics. This reflects the high clinical risk of TB among people living with HIV and the need for coordinated screening, diagnosis, preventive therapy where appropriate, and effective treatment, along with strong infection prevention and control practices to reduce transmission in healthcare settings. In addition, the opportunity aims to improve Option B coverage and quality within the national PMTCT/ART program. While global guidance has evolved over time, the language here points to expanding and improving services for pregnant and breastfeeding women so that maternal treatment and infant protection are delivered consistently and with high quality, reducing new pediatric infections and improving maternal health outcomes.

Finally, the grant seeks to reinforce NACC s capacity to implement the Three Ones principle, which refers to one agreed HIV action framework, one national AIDS coordinating authority, and one monitoring and evaluation system. In effect, this is about strengthening national coordination so partners align behind a single strategy, work through a clear national leadership structure, and report through harmonized monitoring systems rather than fragmented parallel processes. This coordination function is central to how NACC can lead the response, reduce duplication, and ensure resources are directed to the highest impact priorities.

Administratively, this is a discretionary CDC funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number CDC RFA GH17 1717) using a cooperative agreement mechanism, meaning CDC would likely have substantial involvement in technical collaboration and oversight during implementation. The total award ceiling is $5,000,000, with one expected award, and it falls under CFDA 93.067. The original closing date listed for applications was 2016-10-25, and the issuing office is CDC s Center for Global Health (CGH). The eligible applicant category is listed broadly as Others, indicating it was not limited only to governments or universities, though the work is explicitly oriented around building NACC and national system capacity.

The expected outcome, as stated, is improved capacity at every level of the health system in Cameroon to deliver an effective HIV response that can reach epidemic control and reduce the overall disease burden. Put simply, the grant is structured to help Cameroon turn national policy commitments like Test and Start into reliable, high quality, data driven service delivery nationwide, while strengthening prevention for key vulnerable groups, improving laboratory and quality systems, integrating TB/HIV care, and enhancing national coordination under NACC leadership.

• The Centers for Disease Control - CGH in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening the Capacity of the National AIDS Control Committee (NACC) to Lead the Cameroon HIV Response and Develop Systems Required to Achieve and Sustain HIV Epidemic Control under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.067.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-08-26.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-10-25. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for CDC RFA GH17 1717

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: