Mozambique: HIV and AIDS testing and treatment

Equipped for life - staying the course

The highways through Murupula and Milange carry an unwanted cargo – the frequent travel in these transport corridors facilitate the spread of HIV.

HIV and AIDS has eroded the social structure in these communities. When someone falls sick, a primary task of the family is to determine who has bewitched their family member.

The community suffers spiritually as well as physically.

Children are learning the relationship between medication for HIV/AIDS and the progression of the disease, and the need for testing.

Children stop going to school, because those who are ill and dying are also the labourers, and their children must fill the gaps. Their ailing family members can also no longer afford school supplies.

Women, who are less likely to be out in public, are less likely to begin HIV treatment and adhere to it. Adherence to antiretroviral (ARV) treatment is generally low, due to lack of education and information.

Our response

In this new project, Anglicord will support the work of the Anglican Diocese of Niassa, which has successfully trained teams of young people, “Equipas de Vida,” in basic HIV information.

Activities will include:

• Door to door campaigning to reach those who are not as frequently out in public, particularly women, and then accompanying interested people to be tested.
• Encourage adherence to treatment.
• Training in schools, churches and other public gatherings.
• One-on-one support, matching up individual Equipas with individual people in need.
• Development of culturally appropriate curriculum on testing, cotrimaxozole, and antiretroviral therapy, and training 12 field workers and more Equipas in the curriculum.
• Relationship building with government health staff.

Hermalinda's story

Hermalinda had the opportunity to attend training on the benefits of taking anti-retrovirals. Hermelinda is 16 years old and is in 9th grade. After the training, she went home and showed her siblings the ARV pamphlet that she received at the training.

Her parents then revealed that they were HIV positive, and were taking ARVs. After this she asked constantly if they had remembered to take their medicine. Every morning and afternoon she asks her mum and dad, “Have you taken your ARVs?”

She says she does this because she understands very well that if one day they miss their medicine, HIV can become resistant. After the training, Hermelinda also went to get a HIV test herself.