Anthony Bugembe
11 May 2008
Kampala — AT least 30 organisations involved in providing care and support for HIV/AIDS patients have renewed their commitment to reducing infections among such people.
"When we opened Mildmay Centre in 1998, over 80% of the patients were being disturbed by diarrhoea and malaria. This has reduced as a result of the basic preventive care package," said Dr. Ekiria Kikule, Mildmay's director for quality assurance.
Under the HIV basic home care programme, patients will get two insecticide-treated mosquito nets, a safe water vessel, a water treatment solution (Waterguard), a filter cloth and condoms.
Beneficiaries will be guided on how to live positively and prevent more infections.
The programme was launched in 2004 as a partnership between Population Services International (PSI) and over 134 organisations with support from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
The programme, which targets people living with HIV/AIDS and their families, provides them with essential information and commodities.
"Over 215,000 patients will get the basic care package during the next five years. PSI has distributed over 180,000 basic care kits through its partner organisations and has reached over 70,000 beneficiaries in central Uganda," said Dr. Susan Mpanga Mukasa, the organisation's representative.
Wakiso LC5 chairman Ian Kyeyune said he would encourage everyone in the district to test for HIV and use the kits irrespective of their sero-status.
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