Health Promotion – HIV Outreach Services
Life Changers provides Health awareness and primary prevention information on HIV/AIDS and sexual health issues.
The aim is to:
• Provide prevention awareness, education, advice and information on a range of issues on HIV/AIDS and other sexual issues.
• Work in partnership with other African organisation to develop an effective strategic plan in addressing HIV/AIDS in Africa.
• Educate people regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections.
• Provide support and encouragement to help facilitate positive healthier sexual behaviour.
• Help clients gain self-esteem and know how to live positively.
• To increase awareness and knowledge of sexual health promotion in relation to the main sexually transmitted infections particularly those living with HIV.
Volunteering at Life Changers
In 2007 Life Changers recruited volunteers to work on the project. The volunteers, together with the director were able to develop a work plan and designed project activities. The main aim and objectives of the exercise was to give the volunteers an insight into the project and equip them with the skills and tools necessary for successful project implementation as well as be conversant with the policies and procedures at Life Changers.
For more information on volunteering opportunities at Life Changers please contact: 0844 357 9070 or email: admin@life-changers.org.uk.
Outcome of Volunteering in Nigeria
• Life Changers was able to get well trained and equipped volunteers to work on the HIV/AIDS project.
• The volunteer along with the project manager were able to develop work plan which informed the project and the management of the progress of the project.
• The volunteers were able to do a total of 22 outreach sessions including trustees networking meetings and two group/seminar meetings in Osun State.
• A large number of information leaflet, condoms and souvenir were distributed to various communities during the life time of the project in various settings including schools, businesses, community centers etc.
• Total of 2000 of single condoms and 1500 lubricants were distributed by the volunteers.
• Outreach and communication skill were learned increased the confidence of the volunteers to meet people in the own conformability/environment.
• Confidentiality and equal opportunity policy were understood and implemented.
• There was increased networking between Life Changers and other organisations.
The individual level interventions
One to one meeting were held to enhance self-management skills of people living with HIV in the Western part of Nigeria and to develop and improve social networks amongst people with HIV. The main aim of this is to enhance Increased up take of HIV and other sexual health services, reduction in HIV transmission.
Outcome
• A total of 50 people living with HIV attended of which 35% were female and 65% were men of which young people was of the range group of 21 to 25 were only 10% inclusive.
• 500 condoms were distributed free and 237 leaflets from the above sources were given out to the PLWH and treatment information distributed and sign posting for further information done for those who needed.
Group discussion topics
HIV Treatment
Anti-Retroviral Therapy ART as is commonly known within the African communities was listed to be one way to combat HIV/AIDS more people having access to ARV drugs was discussed in one of the group sessions organised by the Life Changers. They noted that the primary aim of ART drugs is to suppress viral replication. It is known that with ART drugs the balance within the immune system is restored.
The ARV drugs also slow down the disease progression and improve the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients. Potent combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), consisting of 3 or more antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), has greatly improved the health and survival rates of HIV-infected patients in areas of the world with access to ARVs.
Twenty-one antiretroviral agents are available in the resource-sufficient world, as are several fixed-dose combination preparations. These can be combined to construct a number of effective regimens for initial and subsequent therapy. ART is not without limitations, however. ART does not cure HIV infection and it requires that multiple medications be taken for very long periods of time (usually for the duration of life).
It is expensive, may have a variety of side effects (some severe), requires very close adherence in order to be effective and to prevent the emergence of resistance, and often fails (because of the patient's imperfect adherence or other factors). The failure of an ARV regimen, when it is accompanied by drug resistance, usually means that subsequent regimens are less likely to succeed.
Greatly overshadowing the limitations of ART, however, is the overwhelming evidence that ART saves lives and improves or restores immune system functioning. Mortality and morbidity benefits are particularly obvious in patients with relatively advanced immune suppression or with symptoms related to HIV infection. For asymptomatic patients with relatively high CD4 cell counts (>350 cells/µL), it is less clear whether or when to start ART. In deciding when to start ART for any patient, practitioners must weigh the expected benefit of ART for that individual (in terms of morbidity and mortality) against the possible risks (toxicity, drug resistance, adverse drug interactions, etc).
TB AND HIV
One of the group session also discussed the link between TB AND HIV. The rapid spread of HIV/AIDS had made it more difficult to control tuberculosis (TB) HIV carriers were in a high-risk category for TB due to their already weak immune systems. Meanwhile, TB is a disease that devastates the immune system even further, a disaster for HIV/AIDS patients. HIV/AIDS patients infected with TB simply do not live as long as those without the disease. Having noted the link between the two illnesses, the groups session noted that it made sense to incorporate anti-TB and HIV/AIDS programs in order to increase the efficiency of treatment. Responding to the pandemic of HIV and AIDS, the group session concluded that the response must stretch across all facets of the disease's impact, addressing treatment, prevention, and the social context.
Some quotes from the workshop floors:
“It is not something that would just strike you down, kill you. It is something that you know what you can still live a little while, you can do some good, you can live a joyful and happy life if you can continue to receive medication.”
“The problem is being accepted as any other member of the society.”
“You are discriminated not only by outsiders, but your own family because they are not educated about this disease, they don’t know anything about it.”
The lack of family and public support has had a negative impact on patient’s lives. Sometimes leading to depression, drugs and alcohol abuse and suicidal tendencies. psycho-social emotional support, this came out as one of the most critical component of treatment. HIV prevention, care and treatment and within that we talk about clinical management of HIV, acting in isolation is not sufficient.
Outcome
• 75 received information about the HIV treatment and care.
• Information about access to services was provided.
• HIV self management skills was also provided.
• Many people are getting back to work and retraining or education in order to make positive contribution to the economy.
• Support such as counseling and advice on how to deal different or new therapy
