Zambia: Clara Muleya

ELCAP- New Start is an organisation that helps the community cope with the HIV/AIDS pandemic through various interventions. These may include prevention, response, cure and monitoring of patients. Their duty is convincing PLWHA to be on drugs in order for them to live longer and positive living.

When a client change residence & go to another town, then they should open a new file at the current clinic or hospital where he/she is taking the medication. The client should have a referral letter from the previous clinic. Through this organisation every pregnant women is put on ARV treatment on the day of testing. More counselling and testing sides has being opened. More people have being trained as “HIV Counselling and Testing” HCT counsellors.

Key objectives of the network or alliance

• Encourage for positive living.
• Encouraging positive mothers to go for antenatal care.
• Encourage people to test for HIV
• Voluntarily Testing and Counselling is provided every day at the newstart centre and clinic.
• We strive for an HIV free generation.
• Educate community on the drivers of epidemic.
• Build ARV clinics in all the suburbs
• Exists to HIV counselling is visible

 Innovation

Educated people about HIV/AIDS

More trainings and information sessions should be avail.

Involve more men and women in HIV/AIDS activities

Educate people on discrimination, Stigma and disclosure.

Health workers are trained in HIV/AIDS counselling and treatment counselling.

Mobile clinics are taken to the people.

Lessons Learnt

• Through RACOC & CACOC how to establish support groups in rural areas.
• Catholic AIDS Action, ELCAP, are working with OVC’s were we can compare our data bases inorder to erase double counting of OVC.
• It’s through that process that we can erase OVC to benefit from both project for the same goods.
• Positive vibes is only working and cater for the PLWHA, they are giving specific attention for the infected people.
• COHENA is working only with people infected with TB and they make sure that the TB patients drink tablets on time.
• Star for life & Lifeline Child line are only working with children at school, give them counselling and special attention.

All this organisations have their important and unique roles in the community and for us to work together as a team then the community has a holistic approach.