| The health situation in Zimbabwe continues to be characterised by high mortality rates, related to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, the collapse of the health system in recent years and the drastic shortage of health workers in the country. These issues are particularly bad in Chipinge, a poor and isolated district where MdM is the only health NGO present.
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Tackling HIV/AIDS and providing primary care
Chipinge district, Manicaland province- Long term
ACTIVITIES
MdM is aiming to help improve primary healthcare, particularly for pregnant women and children, in three hospitals and 23 clinics in the district. The activities include training nurses, improving the supply of medicines and refurbishment. An ambulance service has also been introduced. MdM is also supporting the decentralisation of HIV testing and treatment for both HIV and opportunistic infections. The district hospital, now autonomous, and five new clinics have been accredited to be able to provide treatment.
At the community level, the focus is on home-based care and the creation of nutritional gardens for people living with HIV, awareness-raising among young people and care for vulnerable orphans (provided by the ‘grandmothers of the heart’). This work helps to reduce stigma, to increase the uptake of tests and to improve adherence to treatment programmes.
RESULTS223 caesarians have been carried out. 356 health agents and 125 nurses have been trained. 25,147 people have been tested for HIV and 1,570 orphans supported. OUTLOOKMdM plans to consolidate this integrated mother and child health programme to improve the quality, availability and access to maternal and child health services (including HIV services) and, therefore, to increase the number of children receiving antiretroviral treatment. A new programme in the poor and overcrowded areas of Harare is being considered
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Life expectancy : 47 yrs
IDH : 0.140 ; rang : 169/169 *
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Population
Beneficiaries : 23,500 Target : 285,000
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| Personnel Local : 53 Expatriate : 1
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Co-ordinators :
Programme : Vincent Faucherre and Simona Zompi
Field : Joe De Koning
HQ : Stéphanie Derozier
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| Budget 2010 : €1,247,686 Funding : DG Echo, MdM
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| Wilbert Mangava “My wife and I fell ill in 2007. I joined the MdM home-based care programme after I tested HIV-positive. After a year of antiretrovirals I feel better, I’ve got my strength back and gained weight. My wife encouraged me to go back to my work as an electrician. For many people I am an example because we have survived and got our lives back. We take out treatment and have managed to send our children to school.”
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August 2010
* Source : unpd 2007
