Clinical Advisor’s Commitment Leads to a More Than Threefold Increase in Patients Completing Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy (TPT)
“It’s valuable work; if Clinical Advisors ceased to exist, data would fall.”
Timóteo Makenda
Quelimane District HIV and STI Focal Point
In the first quarter of COP19, VUMC/FGH faced a 33% budget reduction, compared to the COP18 budget. As a result, the VUMC/FGH team was restructured, including a reduction in the provincial and district TB teams. As a consequence, during COP19, the VUMC/FGH TB program had only one TB/HIV Provincial Manager and two Regional TB/HIV Coordinators.
FGH Rapidly Expands 3-month ART Dispensation during the COVID-19 Pandemic
By the end of June 2020, 185,849 patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) were receiving their medication refills on a quarterly basis, commonly referred to as three-month drug dispensation (3MDD). This number represents an impressive 76% of all patients currently receiving ART. This is more than a three-fold increase from the previous reporting period (54,282 patients at the end of COP19 Q2) - the largest proportional increase FGH supported health facilities have ever registered during any reporting period.
Innovative intervention within Triage Ward and Emergency Rooms Leads to Impressive Preliminary HIV Testing Services Results
Testing activity within triage ward and emergency room (ER) testing points within large Health Facilities (HF) is relatively low due to clinicians’ high workload. Consequently, there is low routine screening and referral of patients to HIV testing and counseling (HTC) services from these service delivery points.
Implementation of a Standardized Operating Procedure Successfully Improved the Receipt of Viral Load Results Among ART-Treated Eligible Adults and Children Receiving Longitudinal HIV Care at the Namacurra Sede in Zambézia Province, Mozambique
In Mozambique, in 2015, viral load (VL) testing became routine for pregnant and lactating women (PLW) who had been receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) for 3 months or longer. It is very important to monitor VL in patients receiving ART in order to determine whether or not the patient is adhering to their prescribed ART regime and whether or not their treatment is effectively suppressing HIV in the body. Recent programmatic data showed an overall VL coverage rate of approximately 40% in COP18. By the end of COP19 Q1, VL coverage at FGH supported sites had risen to 49%.
HIV/AIDS Treatment Options Improve with Quick Lab Results in Zambézia Province
Dramatic reduction in specimen turnaround time and access to thousands of viral load results offers significant life-saving opportunities
HIV+ people living with an undetectable viral load in Zambézia Province increases
Marcos and his wife on their way to the health facility. Photo: Enia LeonardoTwenty-seven year old Marcos Gabriel lives in Zambézia Province with his wife and three children.
Mentor Mothers promote the birth of HIV-uninfected children in Quelimane.
“I am very happy because my daughter was born HIV free,” says Leocádia Adelino, a resident of Maquivale Sede Administrative Post, in Quelimane District, Zambézia Province, Mozambique.
Leocádia has lived with HIV since 2016. She has four children, ages 15, 13, 5, and almost 2. All of her children, including the youngest, are free of HIV.
Novel Strategy Improves the Identification of People Living with HIV in Namacurra
FGH Clinical Advisor, Jair Fataha, giving technical support to a health technician (Sérgio Ali) at Namacurra Sede Health Center.
District in Transformation: Expanded HIV Care and Treatment Service in Quelimane Takes Teamwork
Belito Adolfo has been working for Friends in Global Health (FGH) since 2014. He was promoted to District Coordinator in January 2017, just as VUMC/FGH began supporting the Quelimane District. This new position was the biggest challenge of his professional career. In his new role he works with larger, urban health facilities handling higher patient volumes. With the increased responsibilities, he recognizes the importance of his work and being team member.
