The role of post test clubs during the post election violence liverpool vct

THE ROLE OF POST THE ROLE OF POST TEST CLUBS DURING TEST CLUBS DURING THE POST ELECTION THE POST ELECTION

VIOLENCEVIOLENCEBY:BY:

DANSAM OWINODANSAM OWINO VOLUNTEER PEER COUNSELLOR INVOLUNTEER PEER COUNSELLOR IN KENYATTA NATIONAL HOSPITALKENYATTA NATIONAL HOSPITAL

PAMOJA SUPPORT GROUP PAMOJA SUPPORT GROUP LIVERPOOL VCT,CARE & TREATMENTLIVERPOOL VCT,CARE & TREATMENT

BACKGROUND PAMOJA BACKGROUND PAMOJA SUPPORT GROUPSUPPORT GROUP

Started in May 2007Started in May 2007 Our target group are young people Our target group are young people

aged between 15-27 years who are aged between 15-27 years who are living positively.living positively.

Overall objectiveOverall objective To offer psychosocial support to To offer psychosocial support to

young people living with HIVyoung people living with HIV

Post Election Violence Post Election Violence PhotosPhotos

BackgroundBackground

Announcement of the president Kibaki as Announcement of the president Kibaki as the president of Kenya for a second term the president of Kenya for a second term in office prompted a wave of violence and in office prompted a wave of violence and unrest across the country.unrest across the country.

Appx. 500,000 were displaced and 1000 Appx. 500,000 were displaced and 1000 killed, among the displaced were people killed, among the displaced were people living with HIV (PLWHIV)living with HIV (PLWHIV)

To support PLWHIV the Post Test Clubs To support PLWHIV the Post Test Clubs members decided to visit the internally members decided to visit the internally displaced persons’ camps and specifically displaced persons’ camps and specifically the Jamhuri show ground in Nairobithe Jamhuri show ground in Nairobi

What is a PTCWhat is a PTC

A PTC is a club for people who have A PTC is a club for people who have had a HIV test regardless of their had a HIV test regardless of their status. PTCs are part of a range of status. PTCs are part of a range of post-test services. They provide a post-test services. They provide a combination of recreational and combination of recreational and educational activities including educational activities including HIV/AIDS awareness. .HIV/AIDS awareness. .

Activities by PTC’s membersActivities by PTC’s members

Find out how organisations like Kenya Find out how organisations like Kenya Red Cross and IRC can help in dealing Red Cross and IRC can help in dealing with HIV & AIDS issues within the campswith HIV & AIDS issues within the camps

To identify PLWHIV and mobilize them – To identify PLWHIV and mobilize them – managed to gather 96 PLWHIV/TBmanaged to gather 96 PLWHIV/TB

Helped in distribution of food with special Helped in distribution of food with special attention to those who were living attention to those who were living positively.positively.

Activities cont…..Activities cont….. To be the voice of PLWHIV in Internally To be the voice of PLWHIV in Internally

Displaced People’s camp- did this through Displaced People’s camp- did this through mediamedia

Hold discussion on sexual behaviours and Hold discussion on sexual behaviours and distributed condomsdistributed condoms

Defaulter tracingDefaulter tracing

Give support and encouragement to Give support and encouragement to PLWHIVPLWHIV

Activities cont…..Activities cont….. Helped some PLWHIV who didn’t Helped some PLWHIV who didn’t

have access in collecting the have access in collecting the Antiretroviral drugs for themAntiretroviral drugs for them

Volunteering in the IDP camp kitchenVolunteering in the IDP camp kitchen

To provide a link between the To provide a link between the PLWHIV and the health facility e.g. PLWHIV and the health facility e.g. MSF-Belgium took drugs to Jamhuri MSF-Belgium took drugs to Jamhuri and set up a medical campand set up a medical camp

Issues of concernIssues of concern

Stigmatization- PLWHIV were forced to Stigmatization- PLWHIV were forced to disclose their status and display their disclose their status and display their drugs and cards for them to get drugs and cards for them to get assistanceassistance

Health issues- due to poor conditions Health issues- due to poor conditions some developed new infections which some developed new infections which made them to disclose their statusmade them to disclose their status

Adherence- some PLWHIV would take two Adherence- some PLWHIV would take two drugs instead of five so as to take them drugs instead of five so as to take them for a longer time.for a longer time.

Issues of concern cont….Issues of concern cont….

Treatment illiteracy- some PLWHIV Treatment illiteracy- some PLWHIV didn’t know their treatment regime didn’t know their treatment regime nether their health care provider nether their health care provider thus challenging to referthus challenging to refer

No drugs- left the drugs when No drugs- left the drugs when fleeing for safetyfleeing for safety

No balanced diet- thus being difficult No balanced diet- thus being difficult to take the drugsto take the drugs

ChallengesChallenges Lack of clear channels for communicationLack of clear channels for communication

There was a lot of stigma and There was a lot of stigma and

discrimination among PLWHIVdiscrimination among PLWHIV

Some PLWHIV were still on denial stages Some PLWHIV were still on denial stages

Lack of information and empowerment Lack of information and empowerment

among PLWHIV in IDP campsamong PLWHIV in IDP camps

Ignorance from service providersIgnorance from service providers

Challenges cont..Challenges cont..

Adherence- nutrition was an issue in Adherence- nutrition was an issue in the IDP campthe IDP camp

Unprotected sexual activities causedUnprotected sexual activities caused

re-infections and new infectionsre-infections and new infections Ignorance from PLWHIV in IDP Ignorance from PLWHIV in IDP

camps since they didn’t know their camps since they didn’t know their treatment regimetreatment regime

Bureaucracy.Bureaucracy.

Key achievementsKey achievements

PTC members empowered the PTC members empowered the PLWHIV in the IDP campPLWHIV in the IDP camp

Creation of a PTC for 12 members Creation of a PTC for 12 members living with the virus in the IDP campliving with the virus in the IDP camp

Provision of psychosocial supportProvision of psychosocial support Provision of a link between the Provision of a link between the

health facility and the PLWHIVhealth facility and the PLWHIV Voices of PLWHIV in the IDP camp Voices of PLWHIV in the IDP camp

was heardwas heard

Lesson learntLesson learnt

Many of the PLWHIV IDPs lacked basic Many of the PLWHIV IDPs lacked basic information on treatment regimes or information on treatment regimes or where to get the drugswhere to get the drugs

PTC's should be un-political and neutral- PTC's should be un-political and neutral- co-existence must be possible as it is HIV co-existence must be possible as it is HIV & AIDS which is the binding factor & AIDS which is the binding factor

Lesson learnt Cont..Lesson learnt Cont.. Referrals and defaulter tracing are a Referrals and defaulter tracing are a

weak link, people need to be weak link, people need to be referred to PTC's when they visit referred to PTC's when they visit health facilitieshealth facilities

HIV/AIDS supporting organizations HIV/AIDS supporting organizations require preparedness to deal with require preparedness to deal with emergency situations adequately emergency situations adequately

RecommendationsRecommendations PTC's should be encouraged as a tool for PTC's should be encouraged as a tool for

stigma reduction in the community (Greater stigma reduction in the community (Greater Involvement of PLWHIV)Involvement of PLWHIV)

Strengthening of grassroots PTC's in terms of Strengthening of grassroots PTC's in terms of capacity building to enhance the link capacity building to enhance the link between service providers and clients in between service providers and clients in times of crisis.times of crisis.

Scaling up of sensitization efforts to correct Scaling up of sensitization efforts to correct myths and misconceptions that cause stigma myths and misconceptions that cause stigma and discriminationand discrimination

LETS JOIN HANDS ANDLETS JOIN HANDS AND

FIGHT STIGMAFIGHT STIGMATel no: +254 724 008 490Tel no: +254 724 008 490

Email address: [email protected] address: [email protected]

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

The role of post test clubs during the post election violence liverpool vct

Health & Medicine

Transcript of The role of post test clubs during the post election violence liverpool vct