Project title: COMMUNITY OUTREACH HIV TESTING AND TREATMENT

This report comes in a background of very difficult challenging times since we started the outreach. The positive we had in this reporting period is the initiative by the church forum of Swaziland to invite the outreach team to their churches. This saw the team visiting two local churches to offer treatment services, HIV testing, diabetics testing as well as health education. We applaud the church leadership for identifying such a need and for such an initiative.

Outreach services.

Three areas were visited for the first time and oneof them fell outside the operational constituencies. All the visited areas were the community initiatives, which is a very good result of self-seeking health behaviour we are seeing of late. The involvement of the local leadership counsellors in particular is applauded as they command respect in their community.

Male involvement

For the first time we recorded a significant number of males coming for such services especially HIV testing something they have been shunning all along. We are encouraging couple counselling and testing as a step further towards combating the HIV pandemic.

Vehicle donation

4x4 twin cab for outreach donated to the clinic

We are excited of our recognition by the government through the National Emergency Rescue Council on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA) by donating an all terrain vehicle to further increase the outreach programme. It has been difficult to reach out to some needy areas because of the very poor gravel road. This 4 wheel drive vehicle will help us reach to even to those patients on home based care during therainy season.

Borehole

The clinic through the American embassy secured funding for borehole drilling and fittings. This project is complete and it will be used for vegetable garden by patients for nutritional supplementary. Already a pioneer garden has started for vegetables and is doing well.

Borehole drilling for gardening at the clinic.

The winter brought in some challenges for medical supplies. Pneumonias and other associated chest infections were the most noted.Notable we had low stocks and stock out for children’s medications. This saw a lot of referrals being made. On as positive we did not record any deaths related to these during the same period.

  • We managed to test 303 patients and all of them received their results.
  • 182 we treated for varying illnesses.
  • 205 patients are now on antiretroviral therapy treatment.
  • Viral load detection also started during this quarter a very positive development towards managing HIV positive patients.

Challenge

In our last report we reported the resignation of the doctor; fortunately we have managed to hire another doctor very experienced. On a same note a very experienced nurse also resigned to the private sector. This high staff turnover is because of a delay in salaries from the government subvention. The clinic is appealing to well wishers for a back up of one month to always cater for the delay in salaries. The month wage bill is about US$10000 (ten thousand).

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