To provide a comprehensive intervention to support and improve delivery of HIV & TB care within the Public Health Sector in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
1. Provide integrated HIV-TB Education & Training
• To Health Care Providers (hospital & clinic in-service)
• To Patients infected/affected by HIV/AIDS and TB
2. Assist with improvement of healthcare delivery systems
• Hospital level in-patient care
• Clinic level out-patient care
• Hospital & Clinic interface (referral & communication)
3. Implement Community Awareness/Mobilization Campaign
• NGOs, FBOs, CBOs, traditional healers, activist groups
• Community level workshops & media campaigns
4. Support the Medicine Housestaff Training Programme
• Training support (clinical journals, texts, online conferencing)
• Host Visiting International Medical Specialists
• Host visiting medicine residents from Mass General Hospital
In May 2004, the South African government began providing
anti-retroviral (ARV) therapy to HIV patients through the public
sector. The availability of treatment has made it essential to
identify and promote optimal strategies for delivery of HIV
care, especially among impoverished patients who have little
access to sophisticated medical services and supervision.
Multiple challenges exist that threaten the success of the ARV
program, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), which bears
the greatest burden of HIV-infected persons in the country
and has one of the highest rate of HIV-TB co-infections in the
world.
South Africa currently delivers HIV & TB care though two
independent treatment programs, as is the case in most countries
in resource constrained settings, which limits integration of care
for the HIV-TB co-infected patient. Additionally, KZN has a
TB treatment program that faces enormous challenges, with
one of the lowest rates of TB treatment completion and cure.
In addition to optimizing systems for delivery of HIV/AIDS &
TB care, there is an urgent need to develop a comprehensive
campaign to educate and involve the community in efforts to
decrease HIV stigma, ensure accurate information about ARV
treatment, address perceived conflicts between western and
traditional medicine/beliefs, and create community-driven
treatment support, all of which are critical in ensuring success
in the fight against HIV/AIDS and TB.
iTEACH is sponsored by Mass General Hospital, Partners AIDS Research Centre, USA.
PRIMARY FUNDING
• Witten Family Foundation, USA. (private philanthropy)
ADDITIONAL FUNDING
• Harvard University Program on AIDS (HUPA)
• Mark & Lisa Schwartz (International Scholar Fund & donations)
• Alan Eisenberg (philanthropic donation)
 |
