Anti Retro Viral Therapy (ART)
INTRODUCTION
Since July 2005, Kitovu Mobile Organization in partnership with the MOH and other local stakeholders like Uganda cares, MRC, child Aid and district hospitals has continued to access ART services to the people in need of them in the four districts of Masaka, Rakai, Ssembabule and Lyantonde districts. ART has been seen to improve the quality of life of people especially in our catchments areas which are socio- economically disadvantaged targeted area and yet suffered the most HIV/AIDS scourge.
Kitovu Mobile Organization has grown to be the third largest ART provider
of HIV/AIDS treatment in the four districts. Our success is deeply centered
on Home Based Care (HBC) methodology, which allows adequate treatment opportunistic
infections and follow up.
The involvement of PLHA care (Expert clients and the HIV medics) who are the
treatment supports has also improved people’s knowledge about ART and
its accessibility and adherence to the drugs.
More than 80% of clients on ART have clinical progress with decreased occurrence
of opportunistic infections (OIs)
However HIV/AIDS continues to progressively affect the quality of life among
our target population especially in areas with limited accessibility health
care services. ART is becoming an increasing need for comprehensive Home Based
Care HBC) of PLWHS. Approximately 30 %( 1230) of program clients are need for
ART ion the next 1-2 years. (HAART eligibility and clinical staging Jan-Dec
-2007)
PROGRAM AIM
Alleviate the impact of HIV and AIDS scourge among the affected and infected
people through active participation of both men and women
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
a) Improved quality of life of 4,100 PLHA within 30 sub-counties of Masaka,
Rakai, Ssembabule and Lyantonde districts per annum by the year 2011
b) Strengthened capacity of the target groups (people infected and affected
by HIV and AIDS) to control the spread of HIV and AIDS.
c) Enhanced organizational and community capacity to effectively respond
to the HIV and AIDS epidemic.
UGANDA COUNTRY PROFILE
Population…………......……………........39M
People
HIV Prevalenc.................................................6.4-6.5%
Persons living with HIV/AIDS…....350,
000-880,000
Persons in need for ART................120,000
Persons receiving ART………………….......85,
000
Children living with HIV/AIDS………..........110,000
Children who need ART ……………...........50,000
(To day less than 1 in 5 children who need ART receive it) (Source: National HIV/AIDS strategic plan2007/08-2011/12 draft). In consideration of the above figures, the Kitovu Mobile ART Program was focused to constitute to the National strategy of reducing the HIV/AIDS progression through provision of quality ART services.
Kitovu Mobile Organization Art Program Profile
{Persons in HBC Program living with HIV/AIDS......................................................4100
Persons in need of ART in the next 1-2 years(30%)…….........................................1230
Persons receiving ART…………………840
Persons provided with ART by Kitovu Mobile..........................................................623
Average adherence on ART...................95.4%
(National Expected adherence is rated good if its..........................................................._> 95%)
During 2007(Jan- Dec) ART department in close collaboration with MOH, Uganda
cares, MRC, AID Child, district hospitals and other stakeholders, HIV/AIDS
medicine (*ART) has become reality and accessible to the majority of
the eligible clients needing them. The development of MAHCOP ART Pathway
which
is the Kitovu
Mobile HBC ART Model has proved beyond compare in the preparation, initiation
and follow up of clients needing and those already on ART despite the
challenges faced in preparing clients and families to use the ARV drugs.
ACTIVITIES
ART PREPARATION AND INITIATION.
By the end of 2006, a total of 720 clients were on ART of which 63.8%
(459) were accessing ART from Kitovu Mobile program and 36.3% (261) from
other
ARV providing centers in our operation districts like Uganda cares and
Rakai health
science program. However some clients were transferred to other ART centre
and while others died making total of 51 clients who were registered
off the program. In this year, Jan-Dec 2007 a total of 223 clients were
initiated
on
ART making a total of 623 persons accessing ART from Kitovu Mobile Organization.
This follows an increasing number of clients eligible for ART, CD4
counts performed at Uganda care and MRC.
MACHOP ART Care pathway
Most of the CD4 counts 62.6% (817) Performed during the year were done
by MRC because majority of Kitovu Mobile clients were enrolled for
MRC Cryptococcal
Study and therefore were direct beneficiaries of Bio-chemistry tests,
CD4 counts
and LFTS which made it possible for proper preparation of clients to
be initiated on ART and follow up care. CD4 counts performed by Uganda
cares
37.4% (499)
majority of the clients were for monitoring immunological and clinical
progress on ART