Zimbabwe

MĂŠdecins du Monde zimbabwe

médecins du monde / zimbabwe /

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Médecins du monde: A medical NGO

HEALTHCARE PLUS

Médecins du Monde is an international humanitarian organisation providing medical care to vulnerable populations affected by war, natural disasters, disease, famine, poverty or exclusion. Originally established in France in 1980, the Médecins du Monde international network now extends to 16 countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Médecins du Monde’s work depends on the efforts of nearly 3,000 medical and logistics professionals who volunteer their time. Thanks to their dedication and expertise, we are able to run emergency and development programmes in more than 60 countries while minimising costs.

BEYOND MEDICAL CARE

Although Médecins du Monde’s primary aim is to provide medical care, our work goes further to ensure long-lasting effectiveness. We draw on our experience on the ground to bear witness to obstacles to healthcare and to advocate for change.

AT HOME AND ABRoAD

Our projects take place in both developing and developed countries. Across the countries where the Médecins du Monde network is present, our medical teams provide healthcare to the most vulnerable groups in their society.

Real-life story

médecins du monde /

Elton is 19 years old He is a mechanic specialized in cars, working in a garage in the city of Chipinge.

zimbabwe /

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Why intervening in ZIMBABWE?

In Zimbabwe, political and economic crises, cyclones, floods, droughts, epidemics, the departure of qualified personnel («brain drain») and hyperinflation have all had a considerable and negative impact on the provision of basic social services in the country’s health, education, water and sanitation and social welfare sectors.

On 2009, following the full-blown political and economic crisis, the Zimbabwean health system practically collapsed. Many health workers had left the country, the availability of medicines was greatly reduced while the HIV pandemic grew to affect 23% of the population and the country was hit by a food crisis and a cholera epidemic.

Médecins du Monde directed its activities towards supporting the existing health system in Chipinge district in the south-east of the country. With its susceptibility to drought, Chipinge is one of the largest and poorest districts in Zimbabwe, with areas of the district very isolated and difficult to access. Chipinge is also situated along transit roads to South Africa and Mozambique, which encourages migration of population. HIV prevalence among antenatal clinic attendees reached 17,6% (UNGASS, 2007) and child malnutrition rates are among the highest in the country.

“My name is Elton and I am HIV-positive.

My parents died from AIDS. I met Médecins du Monde for the first time when I was in class 1, in high school in Gaza, (zone of high density in the city of Chipinge).

They paid my school fees and school stationeries so that I can finish my secondary education. In grade 3, they also gave me a school uniform.

Thanks to Médecins du Monde, I met the other HIV-positive orphans. Once a week, this group practised roleplaying games and we spoke about our situation, about HIV / AIDS in our own « youth friendly corner”.

When I seriously fell ill, they discussed with me and I did an HIV test. When I learnt that it was positive, I thought that my life was over. I spoke with the staff of Médecins du Monde and the children of my group. Little by little, I accepted my status and decided to go to the information session to begin my ART treatment. Later, I took the medication; after a while, I became stronger.

It was difficult to me to have to live with the idea of being HIV-positive and taking medicines for life. It took time and many conversations with the team of Médecins du Monde and the companions in my group. But I went back to my studies and normal life is starting again. I would like to thank all those who helped to save my life in time. I was discouraged and needed help to find my health again and be happy.”

médecins du monde /

FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS

zimbabwe /

2005-2008 | Integrating comprehensive and decentralised HIV/AIDS services in public health structures of Chipinge District 2009-2012 | Reinforcing local capacities and Support to Civil Society for decreasing vulnerability of children, youth and pregnant women affected by HIV/AIDs

Zimbabwe

What are our actions in zimbabwe?

w The project improves the uptake of adequate Prevention of Parents To Child Transmission (PPTCT) services for pregnant women and their partners, increasing coverage of pediatric HIV diagnosis and treatment.

Capacity building activities include training of health staff in the hospitals and clinics as well as volunteers such as Community Based Counselors and Grandmother of Kindness in the communities. This approach ensures a continuum of care between community and clinic/hospital on PPTCT/MER (More Efficient Regimen).

Harare province of Manicaland

District of Chipinge

© Lahcène Abib

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w The project strengthens the capacity of the public health sector to provide comprehensive HIV/AIDS care and enhances the civil society capacity to support behavioral change in relation to safe motherhood and HIV, for affected and infected persons: Persons Living With HIV, Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OEV), pregnant women.

| Main achievements

• Blood free of charge for pregnant women

w Increasing the availability and uptake of friendly family planning and HIV/STI services, including PPTCT services • Support to the implementation of Opportunistic Infection Clinics, PPTCT, Voluntary Counseling and Testing activities.

• Rehabilitation of clinics and nurses staff quarters

• Supply of Essential drugs and equipment • Re-establishment of Expanded Program on Immunization activities aiming at prevention of child killer preventable diseases w To increase the effectiveness of the epidemic disease surveillance including the early warning system and strengthen the Rapid Response capacity

• Capacity building of health staffs through various trainings to manage patients with HIV and AIDS. • Supply of material resources to support the health facilities.

• Technical, human, material resource provided for case management in Cholera Treatment Center and health centres.

w Supporting community programmes, community ownership and social mobilization for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support • Implementation of a home based care programme to assist HIV+ clients on Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART). Clients organised into support groups for information sharing on HIVAIDS issues like ART treatment, positive living, disclosure and other critical topics. ACF (Action Contre la Faim) worked as partner to cover the nutritional gap through establishment of nutrition gardens benefiting to People Living with AIDS.

• Sensitisations to the communities in the affected wards.

• Intra and interdistrict meetings revitalized for coordination, sharing of information and best practise.

| main results w 7640 clients on ART including 453 children benefiting from ART

• Strengthening family structures and social safety nets for vulnerable orphans including HIV+OVC: training of Grandmothers Of Kindness responsible for providing support to the caregivers of OVC.

w 92 642 people HIV tested w Voluntary Councelling and Testing and PMTCT services available in the 3 hospitals and 48 clinics of the district

• Fostering behavior change through increased knowledge on risks of unprotected sex, Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV Counseling and Testing, by peer education for Commercial Sex Workers and School peer educators.

w 321 Health staff members were trained in various health programs

w Increasing the availability and uptake of quality focused mother and child health care services • Capacity building of the government employees as well as community based health workers

w Nutrition gardens implemented with ACF benefiting to more than 1.000 People living with HIV/AIDS

w In 2011, Médecins du Monde supported the Ministry of Health to manage 725 cases of cholera

w 46 Grand Mothers of Kindness trained to support orphans and vulnerable children

© Lahcène Abib

© Lahcène Abib

• Logistic support provided for emergency obstetric transfers

© Lahcène Abib

Médecins du Monde

47 Lawley Avenue South Belvedere HARARE ZIMBABWE

Tel + 263 4 748 460 email genco.mdmzimbabwe@gmail.com