About Us

about-usSTAR-EC works to save the lives of men, women, and children in East Central Uganda by preventing new HIV infections and treating current HIV and tuberculosis infections. STAR-EC is funded by the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for seven years (2009-2016) and is implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI).

STAR-EC works closely with Uganda’s Ministry of Health to implement the national HIV and AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) strategies. STAR-EC focuses on prevention and treatment through an integrated approach to service delivery with HIV counseling and testing as an entry point for other needed services.

STAR-EC helps people who are the most vulnerable and at-risk access life saving prevention and treatment services. STAR-EC has trained village health teams (VHTs), mothers (who become known as “mentor mothers”), and even clients (who become known as “expert clients”) to help deliver these services. The plan is that districts and communities will own and take over service delivery when STAR-EC ends.

As STAR-EC enters its final phase, it is emphasizing its efforts to reverse the HIV epidemic in East Central Uganda. Programs to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and increase voluntary male medical circumcision, antiretroviral therapy, and prevention are being scaled up. STAR-EC continues to focus on strengthening the ability of communities and health facilities to link clients to services. The program is also linking orphans and vulnerable children with health and other wrap-around services (e.g. education, livelihoods) as needed.

STAR-EC has already improved the health status of communities:

  • 90% of clients who are referred for medical and/or support services receive care.
  • Before STAR-EC began, only 400 people in East Central Uganda had received antiretroviral therapy; today nearly 17,000 have.
  • Only three babies of every 100 in East Central Uganda are born HIV-positive.
  • In 2010, only 800 men were circumcised; by 2013, 227,000 men had been. View infographic.

For more specific information about STAR-EC’s approach and activities, please read about our program areas.