On 12th October, Nobuhiro Kadoi, Senior Program Officer, JOICFP, visited the two ATOMM project sites of Kashitu and Mishikishi in Masaiti District, Copper Belt Region, Zambia.

In the last six months, the District Health Management Team has made significant progress as both anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) are now available in Mishikishi rural health center, treatments normally only available in district hospitals. Pregnant women are encouraged to test for HIV, and if found positive, interventions, including counseling, nevirapine medication, and support are provided.

Furthermore, the Zambian government announced that from August 2005, ART and PMTCT would be made available free of charge at public health facilities, funded through the Global Fund.

In Kashitu, ART and PCTMT will be available from early 2006, but until then, people are visiting the nearest hospital, which is in the neighboring district, for treatment. Many though are reluctant to do this as roundtrip transportation costs about five US dollars, a substantial amount of money for rural people.

Integrated approach

JOICFP, its counterpart the Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ), and Masaiti and Lufwanyama District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) are working together to strengthen behavior change communication (BCC) activities at the grassroots by training volunteers such as peer educators, community-based distributors, and schoolteachers under the ATOMM project. The project is also enhancing voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) service provision at the rural health centre level by training psychosocial counselors. VCT is being encouraged through BCC.

Peer Educators perform a sketch about HIV/AIDS and poverty

The BCC also aims at reducing stigma and discrimination associated with being HIV positive because where stigma and discrimination is strong HIV/AIDS related health services are not well utilized.

ATOMM emphasizes the linkage among all HIV/AIDS related interventions in order to bring about synergy among them.

JOICFP staff in discussions with CBDs, Peer Educators,
members of the Post-test Club (PLWHA),
and psychosocial counselors
at Kashitu Rural Health Centre