Home-based care for orphaned children infected with HIV/AIDS in Uganda

• Published in: AIDS care Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 443 - 450
• Main Authors: O'Hare, B. A. M., Venables, J., Nalubeg, J. F., Nakakeeto, M., Kibirige, M., Southall, D. P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.05.2005; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; AIDS; AIDS/HIV; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child Health Services - organization & administration; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Female; Foster Home Care - organization & administration; Health; Health care; HIV; HIV Infections - mortality; Home Care; Home Care Services - organization & administration; Home health care; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Orphans; Prevention and actions; Program Evaluation; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Social services; Specific populations (family, woman, child, elderly...); Sub-Saharan Africa; Treatment; Uganda; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Uganda; Africa; Human; Infection; Immunopathology; Sanitary program; Viral disease; AIDS; Health service; Immune deficiency; Child; Public health; User need
• ISSN: 0954-0121; 1360-0451
• DOI: 10.1080/09540120412331291779

The primary aim of this paper is to describe an outreach programme from a main state hospital in sub-Saharan Africa, which has been running for three years. This programme is based in Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda and cares for up to 200 children infected with HIV/AIDS in their home. We describe the clinic and how we meet the families and enrol them, the infrastructure of the programme and the personnel involved. Children and their families receive physical, psychological and social care and we describe each aspect of this. The knowledge base about older children with AIDS in Africa is scarce and the secondary aim of this paper is to publish observations that were made while providing care. This includes demographics and the health problems encountered among children living with HIV/AIDS in a resource-poor setting who do not receive antiretroviral medication. Finally, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this model of care and the prerequisites to setting up a similar model.