Health Checks

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During 2016, our teams continued to make home visits to our beneficiaries and their families to check on their health, assess their living conditions and offer any advice or support that might be needed. Our social workers were able to provide health and nutritional information to over 750 members of the community in out project areas. Whilst carrying out these visits our team found 7 members who were critically ill and referred them to different health centers and organisations for medical attention - they were later diagnosed with malaria and given medication. Our teams were able to schedule follow up visits and monitor their recovery. 

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Over the last 12 months or so we have also increased our HIV referrals for voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VHCT) and Anti Retro-Viral therapy. We set a target of trying to get 90% of our project beneficiaries tested so that they are aware of their HIV status for their own peace of mind. By the end of November 2016 we were able to help 88% of our members know their status.

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During our visits to the local communities we have met many people living with various disabilities. We have been able to provide some wheelchairs to people we’ve met to help make their day to day living easier. With the wheelchairs or other devices they are then able to move around without having to rely on others. This independence has helped to boost their confidence and empower them.

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Safe Male Circumcision (SMC)

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World Health Organization(WHO) and UNAIDS issued guidelines that all countries should include Male Circumcision as an available package to HIV prevention. Last year Caring Hands partnered with Nurture Africa, an NGO based in Nansana, offering free medical services to carry out the procedure recommended for boys aged 10-17 years old on our project. Out of the number of OVC within this age range, 47 didn't receive SMC for a variety of reasons including not wanting to have it, cultural reasons and the guardians not giving consent for the procedure.

 

The procedures were carried out at Caring Hands where the resource centre was temporarily turned into a surgical theatre.

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