Fellows Successful in Providing ART in Tanzania
The number of HIV patients on anti-retroviral therapy in Tanzania has increased by 100 per cent in 10 districts, and increase that has been attributed to the introduction of “fellows” trained by the Benjamin Mkapa HIV/Aids Foundation, a non governmental organization jointly initiated by former presidents of Tanzania and the US, Benjamin Mkapa and Bill Clinton. “There has been a remarkable increase in enrolment of patients in care and treatment clinics. There were 1,332 patients when the fellows reported and the number increased to 3,146 after 8 months,” said Dr Christopher Alexander, a Fellow from Mpanda.
In districts like Simanjiro, Kilindi, Liwale and Micheweni, it was reported that care and treatment services only began after the arrival of fellows. Patients have been attended to at the Care and Treatment Centres an average of five days a week in almost all districts with fellows. Previously, due to lack of human resources, patients could only be seen after other clinical work. Most patients traveled long distances and some had to spend a night to wait for the service. The presence of fellows in the districts is filling the existing critical gap in human resources for health by improving other health services such as provision of clinical care in general, maternal and child health services, dental services medical and surgical services.
Adapted from author.
For more information about this program, read the full article: Mwamunyange J. “Dar gives hope to Aids sufferers.” The East African: July 23, 2007.
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