26 February 2015 | Informations
SIERRA LEONEFighting HIV / AIDS
Sierra Leone: the installation of a « point-of-care » CD4 counter at the Lumley hospital allows a quick CD4 count after a positive screen test and a direct ARV treatment distribution after counseling. The patients are placed under treatment and have a better understanding of the disease and treatment stakes and are more likely to stay in the care system.
One of the challenges in the management of HIV in Sierra Leone is to maintain patients in the healthcare circuit and to avoid “defaulters” i.e patients who, after the screening test or the beginning of their antiretroviral treatment, do no longer come to their consultation.
Solthis has developed a pilot project at the Lumley secondary hospital in Freetown by proposing a reorganization of the care system, a contact card to any new patient, tutoring for health care professionals and a new archiving system for patient records.
Solthis has also equipped the hospital in Lumley with a “point-of-care” CD4 counter and trained a laboratory technician for its use. As depicts in these pictures, a patient diagnosed HIV positive may , if he agrees rapidly benefit from a CD4 count testing on site. If it is above 350/mm3, the patient can immediatly receive his treatment.
In one morning the patient can be managed and retention in the healthcare system is maximized!
