HIV Care for 5000 children/caregivers in Swaziland

Someone needed  to care for July Lubisi.  He needed to overcome a downward spiral journey with HIV/TB.  There was no hope, he had chronic diarrhea and vomiting, mouth sores, and he could barely walk nor stand. Residing in Macethuka, two HTC counselors from Kudvumisa Foundation met him at Good Shepherd Hospital with his granny, who was accompanying him for his HIV/TB Care and Treatment.

It was in 2009 during one of the Kudvumisa Foundation Service Referral visits to the Hospital. Already frail and sickly, the Kudvumisa counselors encouraged him to hang in there; it was not yet the end of his life. Affectionately known as Siza, named after the former Mbabane Swallows lanky striker, July was a shadow of his old self. His world was crumbling. He relied most on his granny and the Member of Parliament of that time for transport to the hospital. 

The counsellors continuously counselled and encouraged him to keep up with his doctor’s appointments, adhere to treatment and that he would soon regain his physique. They started taking him to the hospital for his ARV’s and TB meds. Eight months after starting treatment, he grew stronger and put on weight.  Currently he is employed by Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation (RSSC). An unimaginable success from where he was just a few years earlier.  In April of this year he was down-referred from Good Shepherd Hospital to Kudvumisa Foundation to continue his ARV refills in his community of Macethuka.  He no longer even needs to take trips to the ART Clinic at Good Shepherd.

Links:

• Giving Hope in the face of HIV & Poverty