Kisses That Count

Treatment & Support for HIV-Affected Households in Ibhayi, South Africa.

Help Ubuntu place a qualified counsellor in a clinic for a year - enabling more community members access to life saving drugs.

There are an estimated 400,000 people in greater Port Elizabeth living with HIV, with the greatest concentration in the townships.  At least 40,000 are currently in need of Anti Retro Viral(ARV) therapy.  The South African Plan for Comprehensive Treatment and Care for HIV/AIDS was launched in November 2003 to provide ARV therapy to 1.4 million South Africans by 2008.  

The Ubuntu Education Fund's commuity-based programmes in the Ibhayi townships of Port Elizabeth reach over 40,000 at-risk community members with counselling, HIV/STI prevention outreach and HIV/AIDS life-skills education. Ubuntu is partnering with public clinics in their immediate area to increase access and uptake of testing and treatment services, and provide a comprehensive network of support for people living with aids. With the advent of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment at clinics in Port Elizabeth, there is a significant opportunity to reverse the trend in AIDS deaths by assisting people to access treatment and regain their health.  Ubuntu can now offer parents living with HIV real hope of staying alive to raise their children. 

Ubuntu’s Mpilo-Lwazi Health Initiative can establish a comprehensive referral network with these clinics to increase uptake of services, bridge the gap between testing and accessing ARV therapy, and provide follow-on services once ARV therapy is started.

Ubuntu is partnering with  Clinics and Hospitals  in a pilot project to increase provision of high-quality testing and treatment services and provide a comprehensive network of support for people living with HIV/AIDS.  To increase the number of people receiving volunary testing at Kwa-Zakhele Day Hospital, Ubuntu counsellors will provide pre and post test counselling services in conjunction with the clinic lay counsellors.