Proposal for a 6 month extension
My primary work is and will continue to be assisting the implementation of the effective ART community group program as developed by Doctors without Borders and Tete health officials in (2008-2010). In short this program is a voluntary option for patients stable on ARTs that reduces the hardships endured by patients in monthly or bi monthly visits to the district hospital. This along with other factors increases ART adherence significantly (97.5% retention).
After reading the published study and results in JAIDS (2011;56:e39–e44) earlier this year, it was clear how applicable this model program can be here in the Massinga district. Fortunately, since May, the provincial health officials have independently been working to start this program, thus streamlining its implementation here in Massinga.
Currently I’m helping inform the peer educators, the ART counselors and the 2 HIV home care associations (Tsinela and Tlhaliharie) so they can spread the word and even form groups themselves. After the groups are formed, I will assist the hospital staff in training the group members on the monitoring tools and other responsibilities/rights.
Into next year I hope to be assisting in this program both in the patient outreach and helping analyze the results from the monitoring tools. On a personal but related note, I believe one of the best aspects about this program is the increased control a patient has over their care and treatment. Despite the hospital’s inadequacies and indifferences, patients have a higher chance of better health and lives because of their decreased dependency. Thus I feel obliged to insure that when the number of monthly abandonments goes down, the patient’s role will not be passed over.
A second component in my 3rd year work concerns the transition the ICAP Peer Educators will experience when ICAP’s contract ends in Feb 2012. I would like to extend to help see my colleagues of 2 years, through this change. I have informed them of this very possible end to their subsidies next year and my counterpart and I have stressed that it shouldn’t be an end to their work. Some of ICAP’s current tasks will be picked up by the new Mozambican NGO CCS. Whether that includes using the current ICAP peer educators, is unknown.
I would like to continue my two current secondary work projects 1) teaching community groups how to use plastic bottles as bricks and what they help by using them 2) dental hygiene lessons using the activities in ‘Onde Nao Ha Dentista.’
I would like to request a 6 month extension rather than a 12 month extension because I’m confident that 1 year from now I will be satisfied with the results of both assisting my peer educators to become non-dependent on ICAP’s subsidy and the implementation of the self-forming ART groups.
Below is the reference to the wonderful JAIDS article mentioned:
Distribution of Antiretroviral Treatment Through Self-Forming Groups of Patients in Tete Province, Mozambique J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2011; (56:e39–e44)
http://journals.lww.com/jaids/Fulltext/2011/02010/Distribution_of_Antiretroviral_Treatment_Through.10.aspx
My primary work is and will continue to be assisting the implementation of the effective ART community group program as developed by Doctors without Borders and Tete health officials in (2008-2010). In short this program is a voluntary option for patients stable on ARTs that reduces the hardships endured by patients in monthly or bi monthly visits to the district hospital. This along with other factors increases ART adherence significantly (97.5% retention).
After reading the published study and results in JAIDS (2011;56:e39–e44) earlier this year, it was clear how applicable this model program can be here in the Massinga district. Fortunately, since May, the provincial health officials have independently been working to start this program, thus streamlining its implementation here in Massinga.
Currently I’m helping inform the peer educators, the ART counselors and the 2 HIV home care associations (Tsinela and Tlhaliharie) so they can spread the word and even form groups themselves. After the groups are formed, I will assist the hospital staff in training the group members on the monitoring tools and other responsibilities/rights.
Into next year I hope to be assisting in this program both in the patient outreach and helping analyze the results from the monitoring tools. On a personal but related note, I believe one of the best aspects about this program is the increased control a patient has over their care and treatment. Despite the hospital’s inadequacies and indifferences, patients have a higher chance of better health and lives because of their decreased dependency. Thus I feel obliged to insure that when the number of monthly abandonments goes down, the patient’s role will not be passed over.
A second component in my 3rd year work concerns the transition the ICAP Peer Educators will experience when ICAP’s contract ends in Feb 2012. I would like to extend to help see my colleagues of 2 years, through this change. I have informed them of this very possible end to their subsidies next year and my counterpart and I have stressed that it shouldn’t be an end to their work. Some of ICAP’s current tasks will be picked up by the new Mozambican NGO CCS. Whether that includes using the current ICAP peer educators, is unknown.
I would like to continue my two current secondary work projects 1) teaching community groups how to use plastic bottles as bricks and what they help by using them 2) dental hygiene lessons using the activities in ‘Onde Nao Ha Dentista.’
I would like to request a 6 month extension rather than a 12 month extension because I’m confident that 1 year from now I will be satisfied with the results of both assisting my peer educators to become non-dependent on ICAP’s subsidy and the implementation of the self-forming ART groups.
Below is the reference to the wonderful JAIDS article mentioned:
Distribution of Antiretroviral Treatment Through Self-Forming Groups of Patients in Tete Province, Mozambique J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2011; (56:e39–e44)
http://journals.lww.com/jaids/Fulltext/2011/02010/Distribution_of_Antiretroviral_Treatment_Through.10.aspx
