The Oasis Foundation
Grace Village
Ethiopia

HIV / AIDS Support

Background

The North-Western Zone of Tigray is sadly HIV/ AIDS palliative care underserved; the ongoing needs in the area are reflected in the number of children who are orphans because their parents have died from AIDS. We have five such children in Grace Village, there are others in the community, one child died this year but we do not know the cause of death. In line with our Vision, we believe we should provide a service to people living with AIDS (PLWA).

In the whole of Tigray with its population of 4,113,000, Grace Village is the only center that takes HIV / AIDS + children full time. Other child-care facilities provide residential care to only those children who are sero-negative. According to the Ministry of Health Indicators for 2004, Tigray had 2,104 suspected HIV /AIDS cases reported from health facilities and 1,304 confirmed cases. The prevalence rate in 2004 was 4.4 with an estimated 81,240 adults who were HIV Positive. 

Problem Statement

There is little or no palliative care for patients who are HIV/ AIDS Positive and for those who have a raised CD count and start on anti-retroviral therapy there is no place they can go to for complementary feeding required during the initial treatment phase.

Objectives

• To provide total nursing care for the destitute in acute, chronic or final stage of AIDS.
• To give beans and sugar for porridge for PLWA who have started on retro viral medication.
• To provide small regular financial aid every month for six months to PLWA and starting treatment
• Collaborate fully with the Health Bureau and work in line with the National HIV / AIDS strategy

Specific Project details for HIV / AIDS Care

Details
The health centers and hospitals provide anti-retroviral treatment; and though the medicine is readily available the extra nutrition required in not; the medical wards are occupied by acute AIDS patients. But chronic or dying AIDS patients are advised to return home, with statements such as “there is no more we can do to help”. If there are relatives and they know the various support systems such as OSSA who can help them, that will help. Sadly there are those with no one to help, away from families or too ashamed to go home who simply lie on the streets as beggars. These we would like to provide palliative care. Not for large groups with family, but only for the truly lonely destitute and given them totally nursing care until they improve or die.

Another group we would like to help is those who start on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) who need extra nutrition. The United States has provided anti-retrovirals but the health facilities providing the service are unable to supply complementary feeding required during the initial phase of this most valuable and life extending therapy. The Oasis Foundation would like to be able to offer food supplements, using what we have found to be most beneficial in child feeding programs. ‘Aqwi Ater’, a small white bean that is high in protein, ground into flour, mixed with water, and made into gruel. Some cash assistance for milk powder and other high calorie food supplies for six months.

Project Design

The Oasis Foundation has a small two bedded ward in our Health Unit, which we will use for bedside nursing care of PLWA. Where destitute men, women and children can be cared for, there are toilet facilities and a veranda where the patient can enjoy the fresh air.

The trained nurse Letiberhane Kidane and her assistant are well qualified to care for these patients and live on site so are easily found at night. They are both health educators and will continue to teach the patients when they come.

The PLWA, who are poor, needy and alone and have started ART, could be referred to us for assessment. We could then provide them with monthly supplies of food and possibly some money for rent or milk for an initial period of six months to help them over that first difficult period. Thereafter they could come for moral support and encouragement. In the event of illness where the hospital can no longer help we would care for them here.

Everything done will be done with approval of the local health authorities and in compliance with the National HIV/ AIDS Strategy.