NGO for mobile health services to mitigate Covid-19 exposure
Chipembere Community Development Organization (CCDO) executive director, Dalitso Chiwayula said accessing HIV-Testing through home-based health services delivery could help reduce client exposure to Coronavirus.
Chiwayula was speaking during a community mobile HIV-Testing exercise, which Bvumbwe Health facility is carrying at Sub Traditional Authority Maggie, Thyolo district starting from Monday.
“We have currently adopted an innovative strategy for adherence support, strengthening access to ARVs through door-to-door mobile clinics for hard-to-reach populations delivering self-HIV Testing kits, care and other treatments.
“In so doing we are trying to minimise community members travelling long distances to access health services, instead we are taking the services right into their communities so that there is not so many movements,” he said.
Chiwayula further said CCDO has been providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), hand-washing buckets, soap and hand sanitizers to the health personnel in the area to ensure safe delivery of health services among communities in hard-to-reach locations.
Bvumbwe Health Facility Clinical Officer, Blessings Nsiku, said since Covid19 was first reported in April, 2020, they have been overburdened with demand for health services and the coming in of CCDO has been a relief.
“Our partnership with CCDO has eased our workload at the hospital such that we are not having so people crowding to access health services.
“We also understand that others were not coming to access health services in fear of catching covid19,” said Nsiku.
Concurring with Chiwayula, Mary Chikwatu, the community member from Mphezu, commended CCDO for the initiative saying mobile health service delivery has not only eased the burden of traveling long distance to access service at the facility but also saved time for domestic work and maize gardening.
“Since this is season for farming in the maize field, I am going to have more time to do other domestic work, because I will not travel long distance to get my medication at Bvumbwe Health Centre.” she explained.
CCDO through Accelerating Access to Improved Healthcare Project, has also successfully advocated for the multi-month ARV dispensing –to provide patients with at least three months’ supplies of their drugs. The aim is to prevent PLWHIV from running out medication in case of a national lockdown and other travel restrictions.
The project has been supported with the United Kingdom based institution called Frontline Aids in rapid response to Covid19.
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