Mozambique
Keeping HIV+ parents and carers alive in Mozambique
23,554 children are benefiting from the antiretroviral
(ART) programme
11,026 patients have enrolled on ART at ARK-supported
sites
Our mission in Mozambique is to keep thousands of HIV positive
parents and carers of children alive by working towards the
roll-out of cost-effective HIV care initiatives.
Mozambique has the second highest rate of new adult HIV infections in the world with around 400,000 children already orphaned by AIDS. Our programme supports the Ministry of Health to provide treatment that keeps HIV-positive parents and carers alive for longer and in better health so that they can continue to care for their children.
We directly support five government health clinics in Maputo Province to deliver antiretroviral therapy (ART), better monitoring of patients' treatment and counselling for people with HIV. Our programme works hard to ensure adults and children adhere to their life-saving treatment through home visits, support groups. We also follow up on patients using innovative technology:
- In 2010, together with the Clinton Health Access Initiative, we piloted 'point-of-care' testing which allows key blood tests for HIV-positive mothers and children to be carried out directly at the local clinic. This radically shortens the time between HIV diagnosis and treatment, encouraging people with HIV to start and continue with their medication. The approach will be scaled up to 100 health centres across Mozambique in 2012. In 2011 our results were featured in the world's leading general medical journal The Lancet.
- In 2012 - in partnership with Vodacom - we are also testing mobile phone text messaging as a cost-effective method of ensuring patients stay on treatment.
As with all ARK programmes, our aim is to ensure the services we provide continue without our support. We are now in the final year of a phased handover of our programme to the government and local health and support workers.