Regional InterAgency Task Team on Children HIV and AIDS

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Regional Inter-Agency Task Team on Children HIV
and AIDS Childrens Conference, 1October 2008
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Involving the whole family in treatment, care and
prevention
Dr Lydia MunghereraJLICA Co-Chair Learning Group
3 Expanding Access to Services and Protecting
Human Rights(The Aids Support Organization)(TASO
) Uganda
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Prevent HIV in pregnancy by involving the whole
family

• Couples testing for HIV reduces fear of
  rejection and blame on the mother and also
  ensures discordancy is picked up.
• Involving the male partner
• HIV testing of the infant and follow up
• Family-based approach places health of mother,
  father and other family members on equal footing

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Keep families intact throughtreatment
Family treatment models aim to

• Prevent transmission of virus to children
• Provide care and treatment of HIV-positive
  children
• Ensure HIV-positive parents remain healthy to
  provide children with care, support and stability

Organization Month 00, 2008
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Keeping families intact (contd)

• After 100 days of ARV treatment for an adult,
  children were freed from an average of 8.6 hours
  of work per week
• When two adult members in the household are
  receiving ART, child labour decreased by as much
  as 79.2 percent (Kimou et al., 2008)
• Family-centered ART programs may accelerate
  expansion of pediatric treatment, improve
  childrens adherence to therapy, and secure
  better outcomes for children living with HIV
• 89 percent of children receiving treatment had 95
  percent or better adherence to their
  antiretroviral regimes

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The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) Uganda

• TASO founded in 1987, pioneer in home-based care
• Involved talking to family members, who are
  primary care-givers
• Reduced stigma within family to support patient
• Created safety net for children affected by the
  epidemic

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TASO Uganda (contd)

• Social support structures developed to protect
  the child
• Family members trained in prevention, care and
  support
• Children placed at the core of the family nucleus
• Caregiver training package developed
• Community volunteers trained to work with
  families

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Community outreach involving family groups
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A home based care visit to a family
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Mamas Club

• Founded in 2003 to provide psychosocial support
  for positive mothers and their children
• Mentor mothers trained in PMTCT, infant care, and
  feeding, positive prevention and community
  sensitization, male involvement
• Trained in legal issues including child
  protection legislation
• Form drama groups to reach out to families and
  communities

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Mamas Club

• Adolescent mothers trained in family planning and
  positive prevention
• Father mentors identified and trained in how to
  reach out to other men in the community to
  promote male involvement in PMTCT and looking
  after their children.
• Family home based visits carried out by
  positive mothers to train caregivers

Organization Month 00, 2008
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Recommendations

• A family based approach to treatment, care and
  prevention should be used for affected children
• Families should be empowered with resources and
  skills to look after affected children
• Pediatric treatment needs involvement of family
  caregivers support to enhance adherence
• Policies should be put in place to engage family
  caregivers in programs that target affected
  children
• Home based care, counselling and testing should
  be promoted to help involve the whole family in
  care treatment and prevention programs
• Encourage programs to involve men in dialogue and
  community outreach

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Acknowledgement

• Co chair LG3-Dr Jim Kim-Director FXB
  Centre-Harvard Boston
• JLICA Secretariat FXB Centre
• TASO Uganda
• UNICEF
• REPSSI