TransCape NPO, South Africa

Holistic Action program against HIV/AIDS

In Ngqeleni District, Rural Eastern Cape, South Africa, an estimated 45 000 people out of a population of 180 000 are HIV positive. Of those who are HIV positive, an estimated 9 000 people currently need ART. TransCape, together with Canzibe Hospital, the feeder hospital to this area, has achieved to get 1000 people on treatment with no back log. Roughly estimated this implies that only 17 000 people of the whole population tested. That is less than 10%.

So few people are on treatment as a result of a lack of information and knowledge about HIV/AIDS, continual lack of AIDS leadership in South Africa, fear to test because of a fear for death and stigma, lack of infrastructure, lack of health, social and support services and being part of the most poverty stricken area in South Africa where hunger and cold continue to be unmet basic needs. We offer a holistic systematic solution, which we have been building up since 2005 with local communities and the existing health and social services in the area.  The project involves holding community awareness days and school awareness days with available VCT, establishing sufficient and accessible HIV/AIDS support groups and home based care groups in each of these wards, and improving access to treatment by strengthening the existing health services infrastructure and human recourses to implement sufficient and accessible ART rollout incorporating PMTCT and pediatric programs, and through down-referring ART.

HIV/AIDS Soccer Awareness Day	Children Support Group

For 2010-2011 we are doing the following: (Thank you Danish Embassy)

1. To implement a three phased prevention program, including VCT,  in each village cluster, deep rural village and school of Wards 22, 23, 25 and 26 of Nyandeni Municipality, OR Tambo Municipal District, Eastern Cape, South Africa, reaching each member living in these wards at least once.
2. To establish sufficient and accessible HIV/AIDS support groups in each of these wards so that all people living with HIV/AIDS in this area could have access to support and education.
3. To establish one Home Based Care group supported by Dept of Social Development in each of these wards with full blown PMTCT, OVC, Frail and Elderly, Disabled, DOTS, HIV/AIDS Prevention and Support, Peer Education, Treatment support, Caring for the Critically Ill, After Care, Youth, ABET and Circumcision programs benefiting all the people living in these wards.
4. To strengthen the existing health services (four clinics) infrastructure and human recourses in these Wards to implement sufficient and accessible ART rollout incorporating full blown PMTCT and Pediatric programs
5. To down-refer ART to the remaining 6 Canzibe Hospital feeder clinics strengthening their infrastructure and human recourses accoingly making ART accessible to all people living in this area.
6. To install and implement a cell phone to database information system through which all project data could be centralised
7. M&E implemented throughout the project working towards creating an optimal model to be replicated in the remaining Canzibe Hospital feeder wards