Health Care for 500 HIV+ Children in Zambia

Plan for 2019

We are planning on adding 50 children to our pediatric HIV care program in October 2019. With this addition we will have 450 HIV+ orphans and vulnerable children under our care. Our goal is to make health care accessible to as many children living in Matero as we can. Given below is a summary of the process of enrolling children that will take place in October and various elements of the program to ensure better health for the children.  

Elements and Mechanics of our Pediatric HIV care program

Beneficiary selection process: We partner and work closely with several community-based organizations, local churches, and government clinics. These organizations provide referrals. In addition, our health care staff identifies children who are sick during their regular home visits. At any time, the Project Nurse has a list of 40-60 children who can be added based on availability of funds.  

Training provided to family members: Once the children are selected, one family member (who is the primary caregiver) for each child is provided with an intensive 5-day training in basic hygiene, caring for an HIV+ child, HIV prevention, identification of infections, and how and when to escalate care to the next higher level. Training is participative, hands-on and in the local language as most trainees have never been to school and many cannot read or write. On successful completion of training by family members, the children are enrolled. Training family members ensures that the child is under the care of a trained caregiver 24/7.

Provision of food, medicines, and a package of life saving health care services: Once enrolled, all children receive mealie meal (a Zambian staple), beans, cooking oil, medicines, and a comprehensive package of health care services. The package includes regular home visits by the health care team, psychosocial counseling, education in HIV prevention and monitoring and training in adherence to medication. Children who are malnourished/undernourished receive high protein soya supplement, in addition to mealie meal, beans and cooking oil.

As part of the health care package, all children are visited regularly in their homes by our health care team. During a typical home visit, a health care worker records the height, weight, BP, oxygen level, and temperature, checks for rashes, sores, symptoms of infections, and counsels the child and family. Health records of children are updated, and the Nurse informed about the progress of the child.

Ongoing education in HIV prevention and counseling is provided to family members of all children. In addition, women are encouraged to go in for cervical cancer screening.   

Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV:  Family members of children are provided with training in PMTCT to maximize chances of the child being born HIV free.    

Ongoing discussion and action taken for more serious cases: Children who need additional care are monitored closely by the Project Nurse. Difficult cases are discussed, and care escalated to the next higher level - for example, the child is taken to the doctor/hospital as needed.

Children graduated and encouraged to volunteer: Children who turn 18 years of age and pass high school (whichever comes later) graduate from the program. Older children and graduates are encouraged to volunteer in our “Safe Park” program by leading workshops in HIV prevention and mentoring younger children. A few graduates volunteer regularly and have become role models/mentors for younger children.    

The goal of all program activities is to provide high quality care to children living with HIV, educate families in HIV prevention, prevent new infections in infants, and reduce HIV related stigma. The long-term goal is for children and families to become self-reliant in taking care of their own health.   

Thanks for giving the gift of health to hundreds of orphans and vulnerable children. 

Links:

• Impact of our Pediatric HIV Care Program
• About Training Provided to Family Members
• We Can End AIDS

Happy Mother’s Day. On this Mother’s Day, let's pledge to make health care accessible to all children irrespective of where they live. The United Nations has set goals to end poverty, ensure healthy lives, and provide education to all children by 2030. To help achieve this goal, our program activities are designed to prevent new HIV infections and provide a comprehensive package of life saving health care services to 400 HIV+ orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia. Program activities target the entire family and impact different family members in multiple ways. For example, in addition to the HIV+ child receiving health care, the family receives training in HIV, ongoing education, insecticide treated bed nets, and an opportunity to enroll in our micro loans program.

A story of a typical child enrolled in our pediatric HIV care program is given below.

Jane, a tenth grader, inspires us with her cheerful attitude and love for learning amidst difficult circumstances. She lives with her parents and three siblings in a home with no electricity or running water. Her parents are on treatment themselves and barely able to pay for food and medicines as her father is unemployed and her mom sells a few items from her home. Jane enrolled in our pediatric HIV care program when she got sick two years back. Since enrollment her health has improved significantly, and she is back in school. She receives counseling, training in adherence to medication, education in HIV, food, medicines and regular health check-ups. In addition, Jane receives funds for school expenses. She participates enthusiastically in our weekly educational games and activities program. We are proud of Jane as she is a good student and is self-reliant in taking care of her health and helps care for her parents.

Jane’s mom appreciates the skills she learned during the training she received in HIV care and prevention. She says that the program should continue with its excellent work.

Thanks for giving the gift of health and well-being to hundreds of children like Jane.  

Links:

• About our pediatric HIV care program
• Together We Can End AIDS
• About the Training Provided to Family Members