HIV Care for 5000 children/caregivers in Swaziland

Someone to care was all Jabu needed to overcome the journey that she was to go through. Residing in Macethuka, two HTC councellors from the organization met her in 2010 during one of their community visits. Already frail and sickly, they encouraged her to test for HIV and she plainly refused.

As her health deteriorated they finally convinced her, and she came to know her HIV positive status.

She refused to be scheduled for a CD4 count at Good Shepherd Hospital and disappeared for months saying she wanted to disclose her status to her family.

When she came back to Macethuka, she was continuously counselled and encouraged to go to the hospital by the CHIPS staff. Her health continued to deteriorate. She became bedridden. CHIPS staff continued to help her and when she finally agreed, drove her for her CD4 count and doctor consult. It was very late for her as her CD4 count was found to be very low and she had TB as well. She was initiated on ART and also began TB treatment.

She was now so sick she was unable to fend and feed herself and was bed confined. CHIPS brought her food parcels and transported her to the hospital for her refills, doctor’s consults and checked frequently on how she was responding to treatment. She took a turn for the worse as her stomach and legs swelled from the medication. After some months though, as she got used to the meds she began to recover.

A woman hardly looking the 40 years she is narrates her recovery like a tale. She is so stable and well now that she receives ART refills with CHIPS in her community. She is also a successful business woman who contracts with local sugarcane farmers who need their services.