Physical Health Eswatini Project #17222

HIV Care for 5000 children/caregivers in Swaziland

by Kudvumisa Foundation USA Inc

HIV Care for 5000 children/caregivers in Swaziland

Project Report | Jul 30, 2019
Kudvumisa Lauded For Its Approach to Health Care

By Simbarashe L. Manyeruke | Volunteer Writer

The Kudvumisa Foundation Has Been Lauded For Its Holistic Approach To Patient Care.

Kudvumisa, through its Community Health Initiative Program for eSwatini (CHIPS) operates in the Lubombo region of eSwatini formerly Swaziland. CHIPS uses mobile clinics to go into the hard to reach and isolated rural communities of Lubombo to conduct HIV tests among other activities.

But it doesn’t end there; the organization after giving a patient a positive result goes further to initiate them on ART treatment. After starting a patient on ART drugs the organization goes a step further in making a follow up to see if the person is adhering to treatment or not. Furthermore, depending on the patient’s condition at any phase of treatment, CHIPS provides free transport for its clients to the nearest referral hospital, Good Shepherd Hospital which is some 50 odd km away from its Maphiveni station.

Speaking soon after conducting a training session on human trafficking at Maphiveni, the director for HopeAlive268, Lynda Hetrick Arroyo, commended Kudvumisa for its comprehensive approach to medical care for its patients.

“What separates them (Kudvumisa) from many organizations is that they are the true hands and feet of Jesus. They are doing the testing, doing the follow-up and sharing the love of Jesus which makes an incredible difference,” reiterated Lynda. “You are not just out there to give someone a positive to HIV test and leave them which leaves the people devastated. But you are making a follow up to make sure they are taking their ARVs and investing into the people’s lives.”

Kudvumisa’s unique but comprehensive approach to HIV treatment does not only focus on the patient’s health but also their economic situation. Because the majority of residents of the region are in living depressing poverty and their homes are not easy to reach due to poor roads many people are unable to get to the nearest health center. This is the gap that CHIPS is filling as they make forays into the communities to provide medical assistance. “This is a totally different concept to that being provided by other humanitarian organizations,” added Lynda.

Commenting on why Kudvumisa adopted this approach, Teresa Rehmeyer, Kudvumisa’s medical director said :“Because other organizations would just come and test and leave people with a positive HIV result it was like a death sentence in itself without helping to connect them to the much needed care and treatment. So after studying the situation, we decided to come in and fill in that void.”

Because of its approach Kudvumisa has won many hearts as patients feel loved and cared for. However, in order for Kudvumisa to continue running the mobile clinic and stock drugs there is a continuous need for funding. To date the organization has relied heavily upon individuals that give on a regular basis to this worthwhile cause. If you would like to know more about Kudvumisa’s activities please visit the website Kudvumisa Foundation.

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May 3, 2019
"Medicine from Kudvumisa is powerful!"

By Simbarashe Manyeruke | Volunteer Writer

CHIPS staff member Hlobsile

“The people have this interesting mentality. They think the medication from Kudvumisa is different to that of other clinics. You hear them say, “The medication from Kudvumisa is powerful. They have strong medication! Even the ARVs from there are powerful,”” confessed Hlobsile Dlamini an HTS Counselor at Kudvumisa.

But in reality is the medication being dispensed at Kudvumisa any different to that from other health facilities?

“The truth is that the medication we give here is the same as that issued by other clinics and hospitals. Imagine even pills like Panadol people think are different yet they are the same,” added Hlobsile.

If Kudvumisa was a company operating in the private sector where people’s lives were not involved the organization could have taken advantage of the public’s misconception that they offer better or more potent medication. But because the organization’s aim is to help the vulnerable groups alongside the government, they have shown great ethics by continuing to inform and educate the people that the medication is the same as that given by other clinics.

“We continue to tell them that the medication is the same because we don’t want them to be stuck during the weekends or on public holidays. That way they know if there is an emergency they can go to the nearest clinic or hospital without having to wait for Kudvumisa!” Insisted Hlobsile.

Commenting on this huge misconception by the general public, Kudvumisa medical director Teresa Rehmeyer said, “I think that it is the way in which the patients are treated that makes them feel that the medications are more potent. It is delivered with compassion and love.”

The staff at Kudvumisa have on a regular basis been lauded for showing love and compassion to the patients. This is a direct result of the culture of deliberately being friendly to patients that has since become part of the organization’s DNA.

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Feb 4, 2019
HIV Testing outreach to the Cane Cutters Compound

By Sibusiso Khumalo | Volunteer/Intern

The CHIPS Mobile Clinic

Cane cutters are men from different parts of the country who are temporary workers hired to cut sugar cane in the cane fields. Cane cutting is not a high paying job, it’s just a job for survival, meaning it pays much less than a livable wage. All day long cane cutters work in the sugar cane fields to at least get money to provide a little for their families.

Life for these men revolves around this hard work, they live to tell a painful story of misery as they struggle to bring a decent meal onto their family’s table. They can hardly provide quality education for their children and are deprived of the opportunity to enjoy effective and efficient health care. They can’t afford to miss a day at work and travel to the hospital because no work means no income. So they find themselves becoming vulnerable to illnesses such as HIV/AIDS which can end up stopping them from working forever, leading to more poverty and death.

As an organization through our Community Health Intervention Programme eSwatini, when the cane cutters knock off from work we reach out to them at their compounds where they live using our mobile clinics, just as we do with other community people whom we do home visits to. We offer them HIV testing and counselling services, if needed we proceed to treatment for common illnesses among these vulnerable people. This greatly helps to avoid illnesses from affecting the health and welfare of their families.

We follow up on those that need follow up even though some patients disappear from the community as to try and hide from the organization because of pride, shame, etc. The hard work of our compassionate nurses and counselors who never give up on patients who need more help makes things happen. We then make other means to meet those specific people however we can, so that they don’t get sick yet they need to continue working. We save many lives by saving one.

A cane worker being attended to

Cane cutters arriving back to their compound

At the compound

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