HIV Support Groups Help Members and Health Facilities Alike in Namibia

By Valery Mwashekele , Communications officer, IntraHealth International HIV meds at a clinic in Omuntele, Namibia. Photo taken by Morgana Wingard for IntraHealth International.November 26, 2019It is a sunny day at Korokoko village in Northern Namibia where the USAIDHIV Clinical Services Technical Assistance Project(UTAP) is working to help people who live with HIV reach viral suppression.Gathered under a tree are seven women and two men, including a community health worker and the district HIV nurse mentor. The members are eager to share their experiences as part of the Kavidi Community Adherence Group. Formed in May 2017, the support group brings together people living with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and helps them stay on their treatment regimens, while helping health facilities retain their clients.The leader is Enata*.“I’m very proud of each member of the group,” she says.“Since the initiation of the group, no member has defaulted from care. The group has bonded and we are accountable to each other for how we take our ART.” Group members help each other adhere to the medication and achieve viral suppression.Being part of the group also provides support for people with HIV in some not-so-obvious ways. For example, it reduces the transportation costs of going to collect medication. Now, one person goes to the clinic every three months to collect ART for everyone, freeing up time for everyone else to work to support their...
Source: IntraHealth International - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: HIV & AIDS Community Engagement World AIDS Day Community Health Workers Source Type: news