The HIV effect

          HIV is ravaging much of southern Africa and its effects are devastating & heartbreaking.  Education regarding prevention & management has not yet permeated all areas of the country.  Karanda is actively addressing the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic through an opportunistic infection clinic that provides education and regular follow-up, testing all pregnant women (& treating to prevent mother to child transmission) and mobile outreach clinics to rural areas.  Recently, I had the opportunity to be part of the mobile outreach clinic to the town of Pachanza.  

           It’s been an eye-opening experience to see the reality of HIV/AIDS here in Zimbabwe.  A story that was shared by a patient’s daughter several weeks ago broke my heart and is representative of other stories I’ve heard.  FK’s father died of AIDS about 4 years ago, leaving her mother a widow with 3 girls to raise and support.  Her mother had been sick for the last 2 years with HIV and therefore wasn’t able to work, so the girls decided which 1 of them would have the opportunity to attend school while the other 2 worked and cared for their mother.  As they had little money, they weren’t able to seek care for their mother until she was very, very sick.  FK brought her mother to the hospital where she ultimately died of AIDS-related complications.  FK, age 16 without much formal education, was now the head of the household and is left to raise and support her 2 younger sisters. HIV/AIDS is real and its effects are permeating all aspects of society.   

“Fifteen thousand Africans are dying each day of preventable, treatable diseases--AIDS, malaria, TB--for lack of drugs that we take for granted...We can be the generation that no longer accepts that an accident of latitude determines whether a child lives or dies--but will we be that generation?"  -- Bono

We came a long way together

Special family

At Pachanza 

Pachanza

Pachanza

Pachanza OI clinic