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As a border town, Chirundu sustains a highly variant and, in large part, transient population that is one of the major causes of the dramatic incidence of HIV infection in the area. The hospital HIV/AIDs care and prevention Programme started in 1999, as a response to the AIDS pandemic and its multiple social economic effects in the community. The main aim of the programme is to provide a variety of services that will, among other things, create awareness, cure and prevention of AIDS and its related illnesses, provide relief and economic empowerment. The programme enjoys sponsorship that assure financial, logistical, technical support, human resource capacity building and networking partnership with C.H.A.Z. ( Church Health Association of Zambia), Ce.L.I.M. (Centro Laici Italiani per le Missioni), WorldVision Zambia, Society For Family Health, Harvest Help, Sport In Action, Government Departments and the community. The formation of anti-AIDS groups in the community is a sure way of sensitizing people and mobilizing them in the fight against the AIDS pandemic. Support groups have been trained also in the management of income generating activities.

The programme runs nine Projects which are supported by an advisory committee comprising the Medical officer in charge, the hospital accountant, members of the hospital’s medical staff and members of the community: Here the components of the Programme:                        TOP

1. Peer education
   Our Peer I Education Programme is the cornerstone of all our community health and outreach endeavours. As the title indicates, peer educators live in the communities where they work and therefore have an intimate knowledge of local customs, traditions and daily community events. As they are already a part of the community, educational and counselling efforts are much more readily accepted by the community and are often times more effective than efforts run solely by hospital staff.
   The peer educators have an important role in informing people about the importance of knowing their HIV status. They disseminate information about HIV/AIDS prevention and control using flash cards, dramas, songs, role-plays and other interactive educational techniques. They also visit patients, orphans and vulnerable children                back
    

2. Voluntary HIV Councelling and confidential testing
   Counselling is a process of helping people solve their problems by creating mechanisms through which they can cope with social, emotional of physical difficulties. Our HIV counselling is a two-step process with pre-and post-test counselling provided in a confidential environment. These two steps are in place to assure that the patient has the necessary information to provide informed consent for testing and so he/she will be able to constructively use the test results to become an active participant in maintaining his/her health. By determining a patient's HIV status, crucial decisions can be made by the patient and their family, improving the live of the infected individual as well as the affected ones. The benefits of such testing are profound on a personal and community level as not only individual but community health can be improved and further transmission can be avoided.                                                         back
    

3. Community Home-based Care                                                                                                         
   Chronically ill patients are identified and followed up by the hospital staff and then visited frequently by groups of voluntiers composed by Peer Educators, Community Health Workers, Trained Traditional Birth Attendants, Church Leaders, and Community Councellors. The group members  visit the patients and teach their family members how to care for their chronically ill relative. They also offer medical, spiritual and psychosocial care. Food supplements are given to needy patients and If necessary the patient is referred to the hospital for further management.                                       back
    

4. Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
   Using the WHO recognized Sexually Transmitted Diseases Syndrome Management, the hospital is diagnosing and treating these diseases free of charge.
    

5. Vertical Transmission Prevention Programme (V.T.P.P.)
   The expectant mothers are counseled and those testing positive are advised to come to the hospital at the onset of labour to facilitate the administration of Nevirapine. Different protocols are available for either the mothers choosing to breast feed or those preferring the formula feed. The babies are followed up to eighteen months receiving treatment and nutritional complement.                                              back
    

6. Orphan and Vulnerable Children Support
   The community health workers identify orphans and vulnerable and the following problematic areas are identified and focused on.

   - Inadequate food supply

   - Poor access to health care

   - Lack of clothing

   - Inability to afford school fees and uniforms

   - Inadequate shelter, basic sanitation and safe water supply.

   - Lack of parental guidance, love and care.

   Through the community support groups, food, clothing and school supplies are distributed to these children and at the same time counseling is provided.                   back
    

7. Capacity Building

   Sensitization and Involvement of people to join us in fighting the pandemic is crucial to obtain good results. The HIV/AIDS department organize and facilitate meetings and workshops for different categories of people, for example medical staff, teachers,  youth, adolescents, educators, headmen, counselors, church leaders, traditional healers.      back

    

8. "Bwerani" Centre
   A room strategically located to assure privacy is the place where anybody can come ("Bwerani" in one of the local language means "come") for an open dialogue with an hospital officer (Doctor, Nurse, Counselor)about health or any health related issue. The centre give access to the library where books and videotapes are available.                                                        back
    

9. HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment)
   Antiretroviral drugs are still to espensive for the majority of people in the developping countries. Therefore the hospital decided to launch a programme offering the treatment at subsidized price. The patients in the programme are strictly followed up with monthly medical examinations and blood tests including the CD4 count. The programme is open to everybody showing determination to carry on the treatment without failure.