Bikes Roll In to Boost HIV Treatment in Remote Villages
Nsanje District AIDS coordinator MacKnowledge Tembo said the district is concerned about rising HIV infections being recorded.
NSANJE, Malawi - In an effort to improve access to HIV treatment in remote areas, the Foundation for Active Civic Education (FACE) has donated two bicycles worth K350, 000 to Kalemba Rural Community Hospital in Nsanje, writes Cornelius Lupenga.
The bikes will help "client experts" at the hospital travel to distant villages to follow up with patients who have defaulted on their antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to FACE program manager Paul Jere.
"Tracing the defaulters remains a problem especially in the hard to reach areas," Jere said Friday.
He cited Misamvu village in Senior Chief Tengani's area - far from the nearest health facility - as an example.
Nsanje District AIDS coordinator MacKnowledge Tembo said the district is concerned about rising HIV infections being recorded at Kalemba hospital and Phokera Health Centre.
"We have recorded 17 new HIV infections from Phokera and Kalemba," Tembo said.
"The new cases are on the rise, fears are that the efforts to reduce the spread of the disease."
Sister Odetta Naphiyo, sister-in-charge at Kalemba hospital, thanked FACE for the donation and said the bikes will help client experts reach defaulters in remote areas.
"The bicycles will go down in history," Naphiyo said.
"The donation has come at the right time when our client experts are facing challenges reaching out to defaulters in far to reach areas."
She said experts often lack money for food while spending long hours waiting for defaulters in distant villages.
FACE has promised funds for lunch allowances and bike maintenance, Naphiyo added.