AEGiS-15IAC: Taking care of affected and infected servant with HIV /AIDS in Lome.

15th International AIDS Conference


Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

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Taking care of affected and infected servant with HIV /AIDS in Lome.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. A10100)

Yawo Y
Action Population Plus, Lome, Togo

ISSUES: In Togo two third of married couples call for the help of servants. These servants are unschooling young girls and most of them come from deprived rural areas and they are often victims of any kinds of exploitations and social injustices: Long day's work, Pathetic remuneration, Rape,ill-treatment, sexual abuse. They are also very mobile and at risk of infection: occasional sexual intercourse, unprotected sexual behaviours, secret prostitution and multiple sexual partners. They lack of information and the failure to understand the risks leads to the upsurge of Sexually Transmitted Infections (SIT) and HIV / AIDS among this target group. Facing this situation the project of taking care of affected and infected servants with HIV / AIDS has been initiated.

DESCRIPTION: Establishment of three (03) psycho-social counselling sites. Reference of the servants towards medical departments. Voluntary HIV /AIDS testing counselling. Psycho-social and medical care. Home monitoring and home-based visits. Nutritional advice

LESSONS LEARNED: Families accept HIV positive servants. Fifty (50) servants are taken into care. Sixty (60) Peer Educators are formed and taken the activities of taking care over. One hundred and fifty (150) servants know their serological status after voluntary test for HIV / AIDS infection. The servants go to health department for Sexually Transmitted Infections and opportunistic Infections treatments.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Treat ill servants with antiretroviral drugs. Extend the project to other areas. Working-out and passing of laws that protect the HIV / AIDS positive servants

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV, HIV Seropositivity, Sexual Behavior, HIV Infections, Infection, Demography, Behavior, Counseling, HIV-1, Togo, Female, therapy, education, organization & administration

040711
A10100

Copyright © 2004 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.