print

KENYA: HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care

Kenya: HIV/AIDS Prevention,
Treatment, and Care
Addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Africa’s most devastating health crisis and challenge for the future, is a major priority for DOW’s program in Kenya. In the rural and impoverished West Pokot District, where our program is based, tens of thousands of people are believed to be living with HIV. Before the arrival of DOW, there were few places in the region for HIV-positive individuals to turn for health services and support.
 
Our work in the district is in partnership with the successful Academic Model for Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS (AMPATH) developed by Indiana University and Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya.  In collaboration with AMPATH, DOW has adapted this model to a more rural setting. Beyond direct medical testing and treatment of HIV, the model addresses related issues like nutrition, psychosocial support, and stigma in the community. Since initiating HIV/AIDS services in West Pokot, DOW has helped hundreds of HIV-positive individuals, more than two-thirds of them women, to access treatment and care.
 
By building the health system and infrastructure of the region, strengthening the skills and capacity of health workers, and educating and empowering community members, DOW is laying the foundation for a long-term, comprehensive, and sustainable response to the HIV epidemic.
 
Prevention, Treatment and Care
In 2005, DOW partnered with local health authorities to build an HIV/AIDS treatment clinic at the Kapenguria District Hospital, providing services to hundreds of patients. In order to build the long-term capacity of the local health system, DOW facilitated trainings for Kenyan doctors, nurses, and health workers on a variety of subjects including prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), HIV-related pediatric care, treating opportunistic infections, and providing antiretroviral treatment. DOW established semi-mobile clinics that travel to five rural health centers across the large district, expanding the impact of the HIV treatment program. HIV testing and PMTCT services have also been extended to 20 other smaller health posts in the district to reach people across rural areas.
 
Comprehensive Support
To ensure the well-being of patients and their families, DOW has established support groups and counseling services offered through HIV-positive peer counselors. DOW staff also make home visits to patients having trouble making clinic appointments or coping with the challenges of living with HIV. A nutritional support program offers food supplements and teaches people about healthy diets and locally appropriate agriculture methods at demonstration farms near health facilities. 
 
Community Mobilization and Stigma Reduction
In collaboration with staff from the Kenyan Ministry of Health, DOW works to increase awareness of HIV-related services through community gatherings, known as barazas. Religious and community leaders, local chiefs, and community-based organizations attend village meetings on HIV/AIDS issues, including prevention methods and accessing services. The open forum helps reduce stigma surrounding the disease, and HIV testing is available at the gatherings.
_______________________________________________________

OTHER PROJECTS IN KENYA:

Maternal and Neonatal Health 

Tuberculosis Control