The Future of HIV Care in South Sudan Starts Here

By Anne Kinuthia, Country director, South Sudan ; Margarite Nathe, Principal Editor/Writer, IntraHealth InternationalFebruary 10, 2020What does it take to get results in a warzone?In South Sudan, it takes creativity and tenacity—whether you’re working to end an HIV epidemic, or get health services to children, or simply deliver supplies to a clinic.This is the world’s youngest country. In 2013, just two years after it split from Sudan, South Sudan fell into a civil war that hasn’t really ended yet. Around 4.3 million people have been displaced because of the violence, according to theUN Refugee Agency—and well over half of them (63%) are children.“I’ve seen a lot of small children here who’ve lost their parents, have lost everything,” saysAnne Kinuthia, country director in South Sudan for IntraHealth International.“Some are taken in by relatives. Many others are in the streets. The government used to have some facilities to help these children, but most have closed down because of lack of funds.”Last year alone, Kinuthia ' s team provided HIV testing and counseling services to 66,150 people.Kinuthia and her team work to end South Sudan’s HIV epidemic, which has hit children, sex workers, and other key populations the hardest. And despite the challenges, they’re getting results. Last year alone, her team provided HIV testing and counseling services to 66,150 people in South Sudan.We talked with K...
Source: IntraHealth International - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: HIV & AIDS Community Engagement Human Resources Management Policy Advocacy IntraHealth ' s 40th Anniversary Health Financing Measurement and Evaluation Health in Conflict Social Services Youth Nurses Source Type: news