HIV / AIDS Interventions
The Choose Life program (known locally by its French name, Choisir la Vie) has been working since 2000 to educate communities about HIV/AIDS by mobilizing all the faith communities (Muslim, mainline Protestant, Pentecostal, Catholic, and Kimbanguist) to teach how to respond with compassion to the challenge of HIV/AIDS. The program was founded by Ndungo Sakoul, who continues to lead the program. Most of the activist trainers are volunteers, chosen by their community. Over time it has expanded, and now covers Goma, Rutshuru and Masisi territories.
- HEAL Africa pioneered the first PMTCT program in Goma in 2003; 6 centers in Goma town and four other health districts are now implementing the program in their high-volume maternity services.
- HEAL Africa is the only center in North Kivu province offering ARV treatments and PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis for survivors of rape).
- HEAL Africa is also pioneering a palliative home care program in Goma, bringing together the Catholics, Baptists, HEAL Africa and Femme Plus to support terminally ill patients in their home.
Specific strategies for different target groups:
- Church leaders and imams have written position papers and policy statements that open doors to the grass roots communities.
- Messages for youth, younger children, church women, youth clubs, vulnerable women, girls, and commercial sex workers
- Parenting strategies for couples with children
- Choose Life is now also supporting initiatives in the cities of Beni, Butembo, Kisangani and Karawa in other parts of Congo.
- Multimedia training materials have been developed in French and Swahili.
- Almost every church in Goma has held awareness seminars and trained volunteers, following the CLV Biblical-based training material. The demand for this training continues to expand far beyond Goma environs, throughout North Kivu.
What difference has it made?
- Is it effective? Recent data suggests so. The US- based Center for Disease Control did a prevalence study of women attending prenatal clinics in North Kivu in 2004. In Goma, 5.4% of 607 pregnant women tested in 7 sites were seropositive for HIV; this is much lower than in other cities in the province, for example Mutwanga (North of the province) where 11.6% of 721 pregnant women and in Rwanguba (60 km N. of Goma) where 13.2% of 900 pregnant women tested positive.
- A total of 39,859 people in Goma attended training sessions in 2004, with an additional 41,723 people in the nearby regions of Masisi and Rutshuru.
- In 2004 150 facilitators, 300 church leaders, 360 volunteers worked in 3 territories in North Kivu province.
Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT)
HEAL Africa pioneered the first PMTCT program in Goma in 2003; 6 centers in Goma town and four other health districts are now implementing the program in their high-volume maternity services. Nevirapine and Determine and Unigold tests are supplied through HEAL Africa to the provincial HIV service through Axios donation program and through Global Strategies for HIV Prevention (Dr. Arthur Ammann). Since the program’s beginning, 4375 pregnant women accepted to be tested (about half the target group) and 63 babies received Nevirapine at birth.
Antiretroviral Therapy (ARV)
HEAL Africa is the only center in North Kivu province offering ARV treatments and PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis for survivors of rape). USAID-funded rural health program (SANRU) won a bid for the Global AIDS contract for AIDS work in Congo, and chose Goma Health District under HEAL Africa's leadership as their flagship district, with the target of putting 500 patients on ARVs by the end of 2006. Clinton Foundation HIV initiative is now providing 65 ARV treatments through HEAL Africa to children in Goma and have just asked that we increase this to 500. This is a huge leap from 35 adult and 4 child patients in October 2005. HEAL Africa is looking for partnerships with logistical support to help upscale this dramatically in such a short time.
Palliative and Home-based Care
With funding from Global Strategies for HIV Prevention, HEAL Africa is pioneering a palliative home care program in Goma, bringing together the Catholics, Baptists, HEAL Africa and Femme Plus to support terminally ill patients in their home. After 15 months, the four palliative care teams visit 749 families at least twice each month, with back up from doctors in the three hospitals. This works with the activists of Choose Life.