Providing health care to 1000s in Bujumbura slum

The Friends Women's Association would like to that the 49 people who between November 27 and December 31 donated $5142.14 to FWA through GlobalGiving.

The section below summarizes the work done during the month of December 2018.

 ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM and Guests

On December 18, 2018 a team of three people from Quaker Service Norway (Roger Cassidy, Anne Britt Stromnes and Emilie Hognestad Sennels) visited FWA. The objective was to introduce Anne Britt Stromnes, the new QSN coordinator who will be replacing Kristine Hovland for 18 months. The following day on December 19, 2018, we went in the countryside with the team to visit FWA GBV trained facilitators.

ACTIVITIES

Rape Survivors’ Support (RSS)

At the end of December 2018, 30 self-help groups were functioning.

One self-help group shared their annual benefit on December 31, 2018.

Street Business School

In the month of December 2018, one session on street business was done

Caring for HIV Positive People (CHIVPP)

During this month of December 2018, medical follow up and home visits were done for our HIV positive people.

Through Red Cross Burundi, nutritional support is still provided to our HIV positive beneficiaries. The 2018 annual report was produced.

Maternity Ward Building

In the month of December 2018, we have continued our building project.

See pictures of progress.

Improving Women’s Reproductive Health (IWRH)

FWA community health workers and FWA staff have continued to mobilize people for HIV voluntary test and family planning.

Six discussion groups were organized. Key populations were touched, including sex workers and their partners, breastfeeding HIV positive women and drugs’ users.

Sex workers

16 out of 20 sex workers did HIV voluntary test, and three of them were found HIV positive.

Sex Workers and their Partners

They discussed on HIV transmission forms and prevention. Here, seven participants did HIV voluntary test, and no one was found HIV positive.

People Infected with HIV/AIDS, including breastfeeding women

These were breastfeeding HIV positive women. The topic that was discussed is the prevention of the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to child from conception to weaning.

These were HIV positive people Topics covered: inobservance & Behavior, difference between seropositivity and AIDS disease. Through discussion, participants have understood that some of them are lazy; they don’t do anything to survive and then they become poor. Others are alcoholic. All those behaviors lead to inobservance. The facilitator has explained that inobservance is when someone takes his/her medicine irregularly. So, there is high risk for opportunistic infections and even death. That is why she has encouraged participants to take their medicine every day and always at the same time.

Drugs’ users

After discussing about the modes of HIV/AIDS transmission, these people who are using drugs and sex workers were encouraged to do HIV voluntary test. Out of 20 drugs’ users, 11 did HIV voluntary test, and two of them had syphilis.

Action on Gender-Based Violence (AGBV)

In the month of December 2018, the campaign of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence was done. For the first time, FWA was able to be actively present in three different communities on 6 to7 December 2018 at Kibimba, Kibogoye and Matongo. Then, there was a fourth session to raise awareness against GBV in the presence of our guests from Quaker Service Norway. 

The objective was to empower our GBV local facilitators and to introduce in their respective local communities publicly. Under the support of FWA, these facilitators (local elected leaders and church leaders) worked together to organize the public ceremonies by themselves. Actually, they have now taken this program as their own.

Medical Team

CONSULTATIONS

73 cases were consulted by our medical doctors, including 19 children, 35 adults and 19 HIV positive people. The nurse received 322 patients including 227 adults and 95 children.

On December 4-9, 2018, there was a ten days vaccination campaign against meningitis for people between 0 and 29 years. At Ntaseka clinic, a total of 4669 people was achieved.

LABORATORY

In the month of December 2018, apart from HIV voluntary testing, there were a total of 287 tests.

Test                                Test completed  Positive  Negative

G.E. -- Malaria test                    78              23          55

Quick malaria test                     12                7            5

ECBU -- Urine test                     10               7            3

Selles -- Stool test                     21              21           0       

Pregnancy                                39              14          25

Sero-widal -- Typhoïd fever          41              26          15

Glycémie -- Diabetes                 11                4            7

RPR VDRL -- Syphillis               68               1           60

Complete Blood Count                7                 -             -                    

FAMILY PLANNING

355 people received contraceptives from FWA’s nurse, including 250 old cases and 105 new ones. 287 received the contraceptive injection, 24 were given pills, 7 received implants, 4 received collar method and 33 received male condoms. 

PRENATAL CONSULTATION (PNC)

In the month of December 2018, 28 women came for prenatal consultation (PNC), including 8 came for PNC 1, 12 for PNC 2, 4 for PNC 3 and 4 came for PNC 4. 

Anti-Retroviral SITE

At the end of December 2018, we had 284 patients under retro drugs followed at NTASEKA clinic, including 229 women and 55 men.

PHARMACY

FWA had all necessary medicines for the month of December 2018.

PSYCHOSOCIAL TEAM

In the month of December 2018, a total of 60 people received pre and post HIV test counseling and were tested for HIV; 72% of them were women and all the 6 people detected HIV positive were women with 10% of seropositivity.

Total Number of People Tested: 60

Total Number of Women Tested: 43

% of People Tested Who Are Women: 72%

Average Age:  25

Median Age: 25

Total HIV+ : 6

Total HIV- : 54

Number of Women HIV+ : 6

Total % Seropositivity: 10%

% of Women Tested Who Are HIV+: 14%