Sub-Saharan Africa presents a large health risk of HIV/AIDS and has the smallest amount of resources to combat it globally. HIV/AIDS is one of the most serious health risks these Africans face, but it most certainly is not the only one. Some of the statistics are horrifying: 1 out of every 5 children dies before their fifth birthday; Every year 1 million people die of malaria—90% of these deaths come from people in Sub-Saharan Africa; Africans represent 64% of the world’s population of people living with AIDS—around 25.4 million; Life expectancy in Sub-Saharan Africa is 46 years old versus 77 in the United States; In many Sub-Saharan African countries, there is one doctor for every 10,000 to 25,000 people.
Africare’s initial project was to assist in understaffed and ill-equipped rural health clinics in Niger. Since their initial project, Africare ha spread has started numerous programs to help fight malaria, tuberculosis, maternal and childhood health, nutrition, and basic medical care.
Africare’s contribution to HIV/AIDS efforts in Africa has been to strengthen community and government capacities; and to provide HIV-related health services using an evidence-based management approach. Their goal is to prevent the spread and reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS, and other diseases. With donations from various sources, Africare works with partners or organizations locally and internationally, to strengthen the ability of the government and communities to implement their own responses to these problems.
Africare works to:
■ Strengthen HIV prevention education and community mobilization
■ Increase uptake and availability of Counseling and testing services for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections
■ Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT)
■ Improve quality of and access to care of and treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS, including antiretroviral therapy
■ Promote quality improvement and strengthen healthcare systems
■ Address the interaction of TB and HIV
■ Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of opportunistic infections
■ Provision of palliative and home-based care services
■ Infection prevention with HIV positives
■ Expansion of family planning and reproductive health services
■ Protection and support of orphans and vulnerable children, and their caregivers
■ Prevention, control and treatment of Malaria
----http://www.africare.org/our-work/what-we-do/health/HIV_AIDS.php
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