How can the community contribute in the fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis?
Date: 20 Jun 2006Author: Ted Lankester
The role of community members is key. Here are some quotes from Malawi:
"Once the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS and TB has been made, the community takes a major responsibility in providing care and support at home."
"Community volunteers are likely to play an important role in reducing stigma."
"The primary pillar that motivates volunteers in our settings is the religious commitment to their activities."
"With such a shortage of of human resources w need to consider intruducing the concept of the community AIDS worker."
References
- From R Zachariah et al: How can the community contribute in the fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis?
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trstmh.2005.07.008
- This paper describes (a) the experience of initiating community involvement in HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) activities in a rural district in Malawi and (b) some of the different ways in which the community is contributing in the fight against these two diseases and the outcomes of their involvement. During a 2-year period, a total of 21 358 (41%) of 52 510 HIV tests performed at voluntary counselling and HIV testing (VCT) sites in the district were conducted by lay community counsellors. A team of 465 community volunteers, 1362 trained family caregivers and 9 community nurses provided care and support to 5106 HIV-positive individuals, of whom 2006 (39%) were in WHO stage III or IV. All those in WHO stage III or IV were on co-trimoxazole prophylaxis and 895 (45%) of these were also on antiretroviral treatment. A total of 2714 TB patients, of whom 1627 (60%) were HIV-positive, also received care and support. A total of 1694 orphans were trained in vocational skills. Twelve vegetable gardens and three maize farms were set up, and pre-school activities were organised for 900 orphans. Communities can play an important contributory role in reducing the burden of HIV/AIDS and TB and in mitigating its impact. Despite this, community resources in most settings are often under-exploited and their role remains undefined.
