THE MUFINDI CHILDREN'S PROJECT TANZANIA

 

VISITING THE CARE & TREATMENT CENTER - CTC

 

Four of the Mufindi Mountaineers 2014 team are visiting the project site in the south central highlands of Tanzania before the Kilimanjaro climb.  They include Gary Drobnack, Jennifer Lindwall, David Still, and Rich Wortley.  For David and Gary, this is a second visit, the last time being in 2009 on the first Kilimanjaro climb. 

Today's tour of Mufindi Children's Project facilities and programs started with the CTC.

 

Because of a major donation made by the Rosaria Haugland Foundation of Eugene OR in 2009, construction on the CTC building was just being finished during the last visit.  

The purpose of the first Kilimanjaro fundraiser was to help complete the fitting out of the CTC so it could become operational. 

Before the CTC became operational, people who needed to be tested for HIV-AIDs had to be transported to more populous  areas where HIV-AIDs testing and treatment, if indicated, could be administered.  This was a terrible burden in terms of people's time and energy and many villagers were simply too poor and/or too weak to make that critical journey.

 

A final and very important step to making the CTC effective was the addition of a CD-4 machine, testing reagents, and other testing devices.  CD-4 measurements are used to determine when an HIV+ person should go, without further delay, on anti-retroviral drugs (ARV's) in order to maintain health and aid recovery. 

The Canadian non-profit African Children's Book Box Society purchased the CD-4 machine for the CTC and the first round of testing reagents needed to perform the tests.  Later on, Seattle 4 Rotary supplied funds to acquire additional stocks of CD-4 testing reagents.  More recently, the government has started to supply testing reagents in addition to ARV's through the PEPFAR US-AID program.  It is crucial that this supply be continued.

The impact of the CTC on the health of Mufindi District residents has been remarkable based on our observations during the current visit.

L-R Geoff Fox, David Still, Gary Drobnack, & Simon Shercliff

at the CTC during the 2009 visit.

Geoff Fox and Jennifer Lindwall entering the now operational CTC.

CTC staff track and administer testing and prescribe-provide anti-retroviral

drugs to fight the disease. 

        

                 The CD-4 machine                               Testing reagents and ARV's

 Qualified lab technicians are on site to make and interpret the tests

 

 

 Training of new personnel is a constant theme as qualified staff are in short supply

Counseling of individual cases is thorough and well documented.

 

 

 

Records of all tests and the issuance of medications is carefully recorded.

 

Records are filed and maintained in data banks for future treatment needs and research.

 Patients await their turn to be tested and/or receive the meds that will keep them alive.



A pharmacy to treat HIV-AIDS patients is located within the CTC to make it easy for patients to get the drugs they need to fight infection.

 

As visitors in 2009, and as donors to the Mufindi Children's Project, both David Still and Gary Drobnack felt very satisfied with the program and operation of this CTC facility.  Efforts to make it more efficient and to expand its work to outlying villages are underway.  Currently, the CTC at Mdabulo handles over 3000 visits per month and the numbers are growing as more outlying communities are tapped.

 

The next blog posting will focus on other aspects of the Mufindi Children's Project health care initiatives, with special focus on the improvement and expansion of the  clinic at Mdabulo village.