HIV and AIDS

The impact of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is considered by many as the biggest threat to development and stability in the world today. Since the virus was identified in the early 1980’s it has devastated communities, particularly in the developing countries where access to health care is often limited. During 2007, 2.5 million people were infected with HIV, bringing the number of people living with the virus to an estimated 30.8 million adults and 2.5 million children under 15 years old. Since the pandemic began it is thought that over 20 million people have lost their lives to AIDS. A total of 2.1 million people are thought to have died in 2007 – that is nearly 6,000 deaths each day.

Due to the devastating impact of the disease on communities around the world, many St John organisations have integrated HIV/AIDS programmes into their work.

Across Africa, St John organisations provide HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention education as part of their first aid training. Volunteer care givers are trained in home based care and support people infected and affected by the virus by providing care, advice and support to referral services for patients and their families.

St John Kenya has developed its own Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) programme in Nairobi. The VCT Centre was attended to by 1,804 clients in 2006 and a successful mobile VCT programme was also organised in the Eastern Region. The VCT Centre was accredited by the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCOP) in August 2006.

St John in Kenya and Zambia are also running peer education programmes. In Zambia, volunteers are trained to sensitize communities on HIV/AIDS and VCT services through dramas in markets and other public areas.

One of the many sad social consequences is the number of households headed by children whose parents have died from AIDS. St John in Swaziland is supporting a home care centre in a rural area some120kms north of Manzini, the commercial capital. They make regular deliveries of food and groceries and provide logistical and practical support. A recent success has been the reconnection of running water to the house.

Source: UNAIDS www.unaids.org