Fighting TB and HIV Co-infection

HIV prevalence among TB patients has been estimated to be as high as 80%-90% in some areas of sub-Saharan Africa and high case-fatality rates are seen among tuberculosis (TB) patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, especially during the early months of TB treatment.

AIC has continued to contribute to strengthening and expanding screening, diagnosis and treatment for active and latent TB among HIV positive clients. During the period of April to June AIC focused on prevention services including HCT in the communities by using finger prick testing (FPT) in outreaches and supported health facilities instead of venous blood testing. AIC received FPT results from 44 sites offering finger prick testing to patients seen in TB clinics. A total of 60,997 clients were tested for HIV using the FPT of which 9,798 came from sites and 51,199 were from outreaches conducted by AIC.

Outreaches were found to reach more clients for HCT which contributes to exceeding targets. A total of 540 TB patients were counseled and tested for HIV. Similarly 3054 HIV positive clients were screened for TB and 295 were found to be HIV TB co-infected. During this period 295 of the 540 of the TB clients counseled and tested were found to be HIV positive. This is much higher than the WHO estimate of 39%. Attaining such high numbers is facilitated by the improved recording and reporting of TB clients as a result of AIC’s rolling out the usage of Pre –ART registers in the TB/HIV supported sites. All the patients co-infected with TB and HIV (295) had their CD4 count tests done and 74 were found with CD4 cells less than 350 and were subsequently referred for ART. Providing HCT to TB patients will help in early detection of HIV among this category of people which is anticipated to lead to early linkage into care. Early initiation of HIV care contributes to reduced morbidity and mortality thereby improving the quality of life of these individuals.

He tested for HIV, denied results but later united with the wife

In June 2010, a couple HCT (CHCT) outreach activity was conducted in Ochapa trading centre, Serere district. The outreach coincided with a market day and as a result, the turn-up was high.

As the AIDS Information Centre team of service providers was conducting the HIV Counselling and Testing outreach, a 58 years old gentleman called James Ajena made a decision to make use of the free HCT services by taking an HIV test. He later disclosed to Counselor that he is a water vendor in the main market in Soroti town and that his home is in Kikinjaji-East Cell although his rural home is in Ajeru Village, Obule Parish in Tubur Sub-county, Soroti district. Married to Lucy Atekit (50 years old), James and Lucy had seperated six months ago.

James was counseled and tested for HIV and given HIV negative results. After receiving the results, the Counselor observed that James was not contented with the results. On realizing this, the counselor probed further to find out whether the client had understood results and his reply was,” yes, I understood but you are deceiving me, please tell me the truth”.

He was then asked why he was denying the results. James explained that he had tested HIV positive from a health centre in Soroti. When he disclosed the results to his wife, she immediately separated from him because she had earlier on tested HIV negative. The counselor went ahead to explain to James why this can happen. He further explained to him that tests done by AIC are done by skilled and experienced technical staff to ensure a high level of accuracy. The counselor suggested a repeat test to be done which James accepted. The test result once again turned out to be HIV negative. James was so pleased with the outcome. The counselor helped James to disclosure his HIV status to the wife.

The Counselor kept in touch with him and after one week he came back with his wife to AIC Soroti branch for couple testing as he had promised and both of them were counseled, tested and received results as a couple. The HIV results were all negative.

The couple counseling and testing helped them to re-unite as husband and wife and they are now happily living together as a family of eight people.

A month later, they came back to re-test and still they tested HIV negative and this left the couple very happy and decided to join a post test club and couple club at AIC Soroti branch. Today James calls himself an AIC ambassador in his village and has taken on the responsibility to sensitize, mobilize and encourage couples at household level to go and test for HIV.

Sporting AIDS out of Youth in Uganda

AIDS Information Centre in conjunction with TUSAPA has yet again organized a youth sports tournament dubbed 'Sporting AIDS out of Youth in Uganda'.

The popularity of sport to participants and spectators of all ages across the world is undeniable. In many communities in Uganda, all it takes is a ball to gather multitudes of children. It against this background that AIC and TUSAPA have decided to use sport as bait to attract young participants in order to provide them core HIV/AIDS services such as voluntary HIV testing, education on the risk behaviors that put them at risk of HIV, life skills education, harm reduction campaigns including alcohol, talk about reproductive health, and human rights.

This programme has turned into a TUSAPA-AIC calendar activity. The two organizations teamed up to organize what was dubbed ‘‘2nd National Inter-secondary HIV/AIDS Prevention sport Tournament'' aimed at increasing knowledge on HIV/AIDS among youth in schools through sport. The year 2010, acted as a mile stone for other annual tournaments in Uganda targeting young people on the theme of sports and HIV/AIDS. In 2010, more than 30,000 young people were reached with information on HIV and new approaches to avoid the pandemic through sports, 1,000 tested for HIV.

This is a new approach of responding to HIV&AIDS in Uganda. This year 2011, AIC and TUSAPA are making the programme more attractive and accommodative to allow young people from all corners of the country have a chance to share their experiences as well as learning new things including HIV&AIDS, HCT, Harmful drug reduction, unwanted pregnancies campaigns, human rights and so on. Unlike in 2010 where 32 secondary schools participated, this year 2011 it is hoped that the number of schools will double. These schools are selected by a panel of specialists including; FUFA staff, Ministry of Education & Sports, different clubs and representatives from various schools.

This programme will be targeting students in selected secondary schools of Uganda in partnership with Ministry of Education and Sports, Federation of Uganda Football Association(FUFA) and this will be done through districts of Uganda including Northern part. It is hoped that the tournament will start on 11th March 2011.

The programme will start with district competitions and the quarter and final matches are expected to be at Nakivubo stadium in Kampala. Over 32 schools will be competing for a purpose, sporting out HIV/AIDS among young people in Uganda.

The following activities are planned during this tournament

• HIV/AIDS educational talks
• Alcohol and harmful drug reduction
• Voluntary Counseling and Testing for HIV
• Reproductive Health talks
• STI talks
• Music Dance and Drama
• Human Rights issues