AEGiS-14IAC: The role of institutional care in community based programs on orphans and vulnerable children.

14th International AIDS Conference


Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

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The role of institutional care in community based programs on orphans and vulnerable children.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. G12528)

Reeler A, Saba J, Bhatt P
Axios, Royston, United Kingdom

ISSUES: Orphanages have been perceived to provide less adequate care for OVC, to jeopardize the support by communities & expanded families & to be a costly solution for resource-limited countries. However, HIV has aggravated the problem of abandoned children with increasing numbers of OVC & decreasing numbers of caregivers. Governments & non-governmental organizations (NGO) are struggling to provide care for abandoned children, particularly in the first two years of life when much care is required & relatives are not willing to accept them. The challenge now is to address this issue while keeping the focus on supporting communities to care better for OVC.

DESCRIPTION: The Axios OVC program is being implemented in Burkina Faso & Tanzania, funded by Step Forward, Abbott Laboratories Fund. The program is working with governments, district authorities & local NGOs to provide basic needs, education, health care & promoting voluntary counseling & testing. Governments & NGOs have requested support for institutionalized children: 1)Private day care centers providing education & meals for street children 2)Assistance of community-based OVC through an orphanage 3)Two orphanages for repair of buildings & sanitation 4)One orphanage for the purchase of medicines for children 5)HIV/AIDS education & psychosocial support for children in state orphanage 6)Building supportive linkages between an association of people living with HIV/AIDS & institutionalized children affected by HIV/AIDS 7)National workshop for care takers of 52 orphanages to review policies & train care takers in identifying children's relatives for reunification

ISSUES: Program strategies need to explore holistic & innovative approaches to support for OVC where community-based care is complemented by support for institutional care when needed

RECOMMENDATIONS: The OVC problems of developing countries will be better addressed if the institutional & the community-based OVC needs are addressed.

Keywords: AEGIS, Foster Home Care, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Orphanages, Caregivers, Organizations, Family, Developing Countries, Government, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, ChildKWDaegis,fosterhomecare,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,hivinfections,orphanages,caregivers,organizations,family,developingcountries,government,tanzania,burkinafaso,child

020707
G12528

Copyright © 2002 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.