Zambian Rainbow Development Foundation
7 year old Kalunga receives support with health issues.
Kalunga got sick 2012, she was coughing and her legs were getting swollen all of the time with water was coming out of her legs. She was also diagnosed with HIV. She started taking ART drugs without any difficulties and her weight greatly improved and she was able to associate with her friends. She had improved her performance in school as a result of CBVs who effectively visited the girl and encouraged her to work harder in school. Stigma is still a challenge in various communities and that includes Busa community. Kalunga's Mother needs to be trained as a caregiver, and the family should be supported in cowpeas and soya beans to improve nutrition. Kalunga should also be supported with books and uniforms for school.
NOTES:
ART = Antiretroviral Treatment
CBV = Community based Volunteer
PLWHIV = People Living with HIV
Careful surveillance of HIV antenatal patients during pregnancy by the village Community-based Volunteers and clinic staff is to encourage clinic deliveries. By treating a newborn within seventy-two hours of birth, the risk of mother to child transmission is very low. Positive mothers who deliver at home are required to attend a clinic within three days for the newborn to be treated. Checks after six months report a 100% negative status of the child. In the last five years and the numbers of HIV positive mothers delivery at a clinic is now very high, thanks to this sensitization intervention by the CBV in particular.
This family will benefit from seeds and technical support to improve household diet and also their income from selling excess.