HOMA BAY : HIV/AIDS & Tuberculosis Treatment, Mobile Populations

Because of the prevalance of joint HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) infection in the region, MSF is coordinating a treatment project in Homa Bay. Homa Bay is in the northwest region of Kenya, on Lake Victoria, near the border of Uganda. It is a high-traffic region with a mobile population and a significant infection rate among fishermen and transport truck drivers. The main purpose of the project in Homa Bay is to improve the quality of care to people living with HIV/AIDS, and to lower the risk of contracting opportunistic infections. Project activities include anti-retroviral treatment pilot studies, TB treatment/prevention, professional training for nurses, pharmaceutical dispensary development, and the rehabilitation the District Hospital with clean water supplies to create more hygenic conditions.

NAIROBI : HIV/AIDS & Mother-to-Child Transmission, Urban Slums

In partnership with local organizations, MSF initiated an HIV/AIDS program to deal with the reduction of transmission rates amongst the high-density populations in Nairobi shanty towns, such as Kibera, Mathare, and Dandora. With a strong link between poverty and HIV/AIDS, the focus in these areas was on primary health care and HIV-transmission prevention education. In-residence care for patients is now being provided by MSF teams due to the overwhelming demand on hospitals, and cultural and social stigmas attached to the disease and its treatment. A program for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS, which is now the leading cause of death for children under 5 across Africa, has also been established in Nairobi. 21% of pregnant women between the ages of 15 and 19 having been diagnosed as HIV-positive.

BUSIA : HIV/AIDS Prevention Education school programme

The aim of the prevention education school programme is to break the stigma attached to the disease among future generations, and to dispel popular myths surrounding its transmission. Education is key to preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. Teachers in the district of Busia were trained on the national HIV/AIDS curriculum for primary schools, and an 'Anti-AIDS club' programme has been set up to reiterate the message of prevention education within schools. MSF has also established a Preventative Care Clinic at the Busia District Hospital. The clinic offers services specifically for those affected by HIV and consists of medication to reduce incidence of diseases, patient screening, and counseling services. The same AIDS & TB treatment clinic running in Homa Bay is being implemented in Busia District.