Children’s AIDS

Program                               Funded by Global Strategies and the Clinton Foundation, HEAL Africa monitors over 500 HIV positive children from Goma and surrounding areas. 300 children are administered Anti-Retrovirals (ARVs). HEAL Africa has the only CD4 counter in North Kivu province, allowing HEAL to cut down the cost of testing for itself and for other hospitals in the region. DR Congo is not a PEPFAR country, and treatment is prohibitively expensive for most families, even if treatment were available.

In conjunction with HEAL Africa, Global Strategies is introducing Latoba, a peanut based nutritional supplement provided for the children taking ARVs. This is crucial as 20% of the children who need ARVs are too malnourished to take the medicine. The product will be produced in Goma to make the practice more sustainable and provide local jobs.

 

Prevention of

Mother to Child

Transmission                Funded and implemented by Global Strategies, HEAL Africa pioneered the first PMTCT program in Goma in 2003. Six centers in Goma and four other rural health centers are implementing the program in their high volume maternity services.

 

Post Exposure

Prophylaxis                   HEAL Africa is the only health service to offer PEP to survivors of rape in order to prevent the transmission of HIV. HEAL serves as a treatment center and distributes the prophylaxis to rural health centers and trains health professionals how to administer it.

 

Home Palliative

Care                             The bitter reality is that people die every day in northeastern DRC due to AIDS. HEAL Africa works with 5 small local organizations in Goma, Masisi and Rutshuru territories to care for those dying of AIDS to lessen their pain in the last days. In 2008, over 2000 with AIDS are being cared for by a network of volunteers backed up by nurses and doctors. They provide pain relievers and volunteers visit the home weekly giving food and support through conversation and prayer.

 

Education                     By mobilizing all local faith groups (Christian, Muslim, and Kimbangist) HEAL Africa has held education seminars that encourage fidelity and condom use, in almost every church in Goma (a city of ½ million people) and throughout the whole province.

HEAL Africa has broken down barriers within the church and challenged faith communities to respond compassionately to the problem of HIV AIDS. It has done so by educating and encouraging religious leaders to fight the stigma that engulfs people infected with HIV. 

HEAL Africa helps communities organize youth clubs through its program, Choose Life. The clubs educate school age children and young adults about how HIV AIDS is contracted and what preventative measures can be taken against it.         

Choose Life has created multi media guides including DVDs, books, and brochures that have been distributed throughout DR Congo.         

Micro Grants                HEAL Africa has financially trained and given small business grants to 1000 families affected by HIV AIDS.