Gate - the The development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC)

Catholic Action Committee for AIDS (CACA)
CACA carries out both pre and posttest counseling. Rapid test is done in the office
using equipment supplied to CACA by Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Positive cases are referred to
either GEDE FOUNDATION or the National institute for Pharmaceutical Research and
Development for confirmatory testing. All the 8 Catholic hospitals also do testing.
During the World AIDS Day 2004 celebration, GEDE foundation conducted free
testing in collaboration with CACA. Two hundred and fifteen people benefited. Out of
100 results so far assessed, 30 to 40 % are positive.
Gede Foundation
The health care providers in Maitama Hospital were trained on VCCT and PMTCT. The hospital
was given some nevirapine, TV sets and AV materials on HIV/AIDS for their ANC. The mothers
watch the films and see how the test is done. The nevirapine was given free to the hospital by Gede
Foundation but they will charge a token from the beneficiaries.
Umma Support Group (Islamic)
Question: You mentioned during the discussion that you established a
VCCT Center. Can you tell us more about it and where it is located?
Answer: Yes. It is right here in the security of the National Mosque where we
thought we could protect people from stigma. But it is more of a VCC
without the T, as we do not have the equipment for testing. There is a
medical doctor volunteer amongst us who does the counseling and we
refer people to the general hospital for testing.
WHED
They recently hired a microbiologist and one sociologist for the VCTC (proposed) programme. "We
have the money to buy the necessary equipment for the testing and we are now looking for
organizations to provide us with subsidies to provide free testing and offer a reduced rate for the
CD4 count testing. All of those things can be done here at the organization.
Anglican Church
They provide/carry out awareness creation on VCT services every Sunday during church
Services.
Panraf Hospital: (example of a small private hospital in "hotspot" area.
The Clinic does VCT for all antenatal women and such women are informed that they are
being screened for HIV/AIDS.
There is evidence that more and more organizations, including churches, are requiring couples to
be counseled and tested for HIV before they are allowed to marry. A social welfare administrator
in the AMAC told our interviewers that they are now enforcing the rule that all couples coming for
civil marriage must be tested for HIV. The informant described the counseling procedure. The
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