Nature Forest Reserves in Tanzania and their importance for conservation.

Since 1997 Tanzania has undertaken a process to identify and declare a network of Nature Forest Reserves (NFRs) with high biodiversity values, from within its existing portfolio of national Forest Reserves, with 16 new NFRs declared since 2015. The current network of 22 gazetted NFRs covered 948,871 hectares in 2023. NFRs now cover a range of Tanzanian habitat types, including all main forest types-wet, seasonal, and dry-as well as wetlands and grasslands. NFRs contain at least 178 of Tanzania's 242 endemic vertebrate species, of which at least 50% are threatened with extinction, and 553 Tanzanian endemic plant taxa (species, subspecies, and varieties), of which at least 50% are threatened. NFRs also support 41 single-site endemic vertebrate species and 76 single-site endemic plant taxa. Time series analysis of management effectiveness tracking tool (METT) data shows that NFR management effectiveness is increasing, especially where donor funds have been available. Improved management and investment have resulted in measurable reductions of some critical threats in NFRs. Still, ongoing challenges remain to fully contain issues of illegal logging, charcoal production, firewood, pole-cutting, illegal hunting and snaring of birds and mammals, fire, wildlife trade, and the unpredictable impacts of climate change. Increased tourism, diversified revenue generation and investment schemes, involving communities in management, and stepping up control measures for remaining threats are all required to create a network of economically self-sustaining NFRs able to conserve critical biodiversity values.

Feasibility and effectiveness of integrating provider-initiated testing and counselling within family planning services in Kenya.

OBJECTIVE: To assess an intervention for increasing access to and use of HIV testing among family planning clients through provider-initiated testing and counselling for HIV. DESIGN: Two versions of the intervention were prospectively compared using a prepost intervention only design. Health facilities were purposively selected and family planning consultations randomly selected. SETTING: Twenty-three public-sector hospitals, health centres and dispensaries in two districts of Central Province, Kenya. PARTICIPANTS: One group of 28 family planning providers were trained in the integrated family planning-HIV counselling intervention and in providing HIV testing and counselling to family planning clients requesting a test during the consultation and another group of 47 family planning providers were trained in the intervention and in referring clients interested in an HIV test. Samples of family planning clients willing to be observed and interviewed were randomly selected (538 preintervention, 520 postintervention) and their informed consent obtained to observe their consultation. INTERVENTION: All family planning providers were trained in an algorithm that integrates HIV/sexually transmitted infection prevention counselling, including offering HIV testing and counselling, with family planning counselling. Clients choosing to be tested were either referred or tested during the consultation by a trained family planning provider. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The proportion of family planning clients with whom HIV testing was discussed; the proportion offered HIV testing; and the proportion choosing to have a test. RESULTS: The proportion of consultations in which HIV prevention counselling was provided and HIV testing offered increased significantly. The proportion of clients requesting an HIV test increased from 1 to 26%; approximately one third of these had never been tested previously. CONCLUSION: Provider-initiated testing and counselling is feasible and acceptable in family planning services, does not adversely affect the quality of the family planning consultation and increases access to and use of HIV testing in a population who would benefit from knowing their status.