Providing health care to 1000s in Bujumbura slum

The section below summarizes the work done during the month of July 2020.

COVID-19 AND NTASEKA CLINIC

On July 22, 2020, according to the Ministry of Public Health and the fight against HIV/AIDS, since March 31, 2020 a total of 11,332 people have been tested for COVID-19, including 345 confirmed cases, 270 who recovered,74 still hospitalized and one death. So, in the month of July 2020, different organizations have supported Ntaseka clinic to prevent both its staff and patients from covid-19. They are the African Great Lakes Initiatives (AGLI), the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), the GlobalGiving platform, and Gould Family Foundation. The good news is that we are still safe at Ntaseka clinic.

ACTIVITIES

Caring for HIV Positive People (CHIVPP)

During this month of July 2020, medical follow up and home visits were done for our HIV positive people..

Maternity Ward Building

In the month of July 2020, under the support the African Great Lakes Initiative (AGLI) of the Friends Peace Teams, FWA has started to manufacture metallic doors and windows for the maternity ward building. 

Improving Women’s Reproductive Health (IWRH)

FWA community health workers and FWA staff have continued to educate men, women and young people on the importance of family planning. The new strategy is to educate one by one. And this has contributed to increase the number of people who attend Ntaseka clinic for family planning per month.

Rape Survivors’ Support (RSS)

One three-day trauma healing workshop was done on July 22-24, 2020.At the end of July 2020, we had a total of 106 SHGs for a total of 2463 women..

“I am Tutsi and I got married by a Hutu soldier. Everything was fine until 2015. The in-laws family told my husband that he got married in an evil ethnic group. He started to beat me and tell me that if I don't leave his house he will kill me. He tried many times to kill me. He even hired people to kill me because he was in the crisis period. He thought he can kill me without any follow up in justice. I spend 6 months without sleeping at night because armed men were spending the night around my house. He saw that I didn't want to leave him and he revealed to me that he had children with my 3 little sisters. This really destroyed me because all my hope was in my family.

The last evil he did to me was  to come and take my 3 children and everything I had in the house. I cried for help in the road like a crazy person. No one dared to help me because he had a gun. To punish me very well he left the army so that I cannot call upon army justice. Now I live at a friend's house. I don't know where my children are. I can't appeal to justice because I'm afraid that he could kill me I have a big wound in my heart.”

ACTION ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Under the support of Quaker Service Norway, two trauma healing workshops were done in Kibimba and in Kibogoye, Giheta commune in Gitega province. Participants were GBV most grave cases.

My name is Jeanne. I gave birth to two girls and I had problems when I gave birth to the 3rd girl. My husband came to see me at the hospital and he said to me, "you are not going to see me because this is not a child". So, he went to Bujumbura and he refused to come back home: My baby girl was hospitalized until she died but he even refused to come on the funeral. After that, he came home with another woman and wanted me to leave our house so that his new wife could live there. He told me that he's going to kill me if I don't leave his house. Then he beat me to death. The FWA accompanist appealed the intervention of the local authority. They defended me and I was able to stay in my house.

Now he lives in Bujumbura with his wife. He comes in the harvest period and he comes in the evening to beat me and to steal all my harvest. I thank those who have thought of me by inviting me to this workshop. It helped me a lot to heal myself emotionally. I was able to talk about my problems and you listened. I feel relieved even at night slept in peace”.

My name is Augustine. I never had peace with my husband because I only gave birth to girls. I suffered in my marriage:

• When he came back and found that I did not prepare something to eat he beat me and when he found the food he would throw it in the toilet
• He made us sleep out many times with my children.
• He raped me sexually. When I refused he beat me and put me out accusing me that I am a non-submissive woman.
• He burnt our clothes many times.
• He kicked me out of his room.

One day at the birth of my 5th daughter, he refused to give me something to eat. You can imagine the hunger of a woman who has just given birth! My children went to ask my neighbor for something to eat and he gave him flour, he found me at home and he told me to go out with the child and he threw the flour. He beat me until I feel I want to die. I took refuge in the house of my neighbor leaving my 3 days baby. I had no choice, I came back home because I had compassion for my children. He continued to mistreat us until my children left the house and I too decided to leave the house and my family gave me a house. Even if I live in my house my husband comes to disturb me. To be where I am now I benefit help from FWA's Accompanist who transferred me to the Humura Center and who defended me when my husband mistreated me. This workshop helped me so much I feel the courage to face life alone. Talking about my problems healed me and my heavy burdens have fallen”.

MEDICAL TEAMCONSULTATIONS

158 cases were consulted by our medical doctors, including 79 adults (28 men and 51 women), 29 children (11 boys and 18 girls), 39 HIV positive people and 11 pregnant women for ultrasound. The nurse received 198 patients including 141 adults and 57 children.

LABORATORY

In the month of July 2020, apart from HIV voluntary testing, there were a total of 197 tests.

See attached chart.

FAMILY PLANNING

425 people received contraceptives from FWA’s nurse, including 272 old cases and 153 new ones. 327 received the contraceptive injection, 62 were given pills, 24 received male condoms, and 12 received implants.

PRENATAL CONSULTATION (PNC)

In the month of July 2020, 48 women came for prenatal consultation (PNC), including 17 who came for PNC 1, 17 for PNC 2 and 6 for PNC 3 and 8 for PNC 4.

11 pregnant women came for the ultrasound test.                        

ANTI-RETROVIRAL SITE

At the end of July 2020, we had 330 patients under retro drugs followed at NTASEKA clinic, including 267 women and 63 men.

PHARMACY

Regarding medications, FWA was able to purchase the minimum needed medicine.

PSYCHOSOCIAL TEAM

In the month of July 2020, a total of 48 people received pre and post HIV test counselling and were tested for HIV. Out of the total number, 83% were women and out of the five people detected HIV positive, four of them were women, with 10% of seropositivity.

Total Number of People Tested: 48

Total Number of Women Tested: 40

% of People Tested Who Are Women: 83%

Average Age:  27

Median Age:  27,5

Total HIV+ :  5

Total HIV- : 43

Number of Women HIV+ : 4

Total % Seropositivity: 10%

% of Women Tested Who Are HIV+: 10%