Care and Treatment

Monday, 21 November 2011 04:33

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The program aims at increasing demand and utilization of HIV/AIDS services among communities and provision of quality and comprehensive HIV and AIDS care and treatment services through a country wide network of faith based health facilities. The services entail care for HIV/AIDS patients (and their families) aiming at achieving the best quality of life. At IRCU we acknowledge that illnesses cause more than physical distress, and therefore use of holistic approach ensures a combination of physical, psychological, social and spiritual care.

OBJECTIVES

• To expand access to and utilization of quality palliative care services for persons and families living with or affected by HIV/AIDS following in Christ’s footsteps.
• To expand access to and utilization of Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) services for eligible people with HIV and AIDS.
• To develop functional health and HIV/AIDS networks that support individuals and communities to easily access quality HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment services, so that people can realize God’s presence in their situations

SERVICES OFFERED

To achieve our objectives, the program offers a comprehensive care and treatment package, which includes:

• HIV counseling and testing (HCT),
• Clinical care including diagnosis and treatment of opportunistic infections such as malaria, diarrhea, meningitis,pneumonias and TB
• Psychotherapy through counseling and behavioral change communication with greater involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS (PHA) groups;
• Anti-Retro Viral Treatment (ART),
• Prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV (PMTCT)
• Post Exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
• Home Based Care (HBC)
• Provision of sexual and reproductive health services such as management of Sexually Transmitted Infections, Family Planning and Safe Male Circumcision.

As a result, over 95,756 individuals received HCT in the past year and 39,464 PHAs are currently provided with palliative care and support and 11,138 pregnant mothers have been provided with PMPCT services.About 10,933 PHAs are receiving ART services.

TARGET BENEFICIARIES

The program targets PHAs and their families. It also targets networks of community religious leaders and volunteers to ensure community access to quality HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment services, as a way of fulfilling

GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE

Currently, the HIV/AIDS care and treatment health facilities operate through a network of 19 FBOs (10 Hospitals and 6 Health centers) and 3 community based organisation spread out in 14 districts in Uganda. Currently these sites provide care to 39,464 PHAs & ART to 10,933 PHAs.

APPROACH TO SERVICE DELIVERY

Our services are implemented using the facility and community based approaches using the Faith Based Approach.

The Faith Based Approach (FBA)
Involves use of religious leaders and their structures through which people are supported to acquire and utilize HIV/AIDS scientific knowledge with the guidance of relevant faith based teachings in HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment service provision.

The Community Based Approach (CBA)
Ensures increased access to care and treatment services to the most at risk people in communities. This is done with the help of community volunteers especially PHA’s and religious leaders supported by health facilities.

Training, support supervision and mentoring
IRCU strengthens the capacity of religious leaders, community volunteers and health workers to facilitate integrated and effective provision