Mozambican Red Cross To Train Hundreds Of Volunteers To Manage Antiretroviral Therapy For HIV-Positive People

The Mozambican Red Cross plans to begin training hundreds of volunteer health workers to manage antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive people in their care, IRIN News reports. According to the Ministry of Health, the government, with the help of partner organizations, provides antiretroviral treatment to about 34,000 of the estimated 250,000 people living with HIV/AIDS who need treatment. Some nongovernmental organizations in the country have started antiretroviral management training for volunteers, but the NGOs have a limited reach, according to IRIN News. The Red Cross has a nationwide network of 600 volunteers in its home-based care program, which operates in nine of the country's 11 provinces. "This training is extremely important and will improve the work of" Red Cross volunteers, Paula Macava, coordinator of the Red Cross HIV/AIDS program in Mozambique, said, adding that the Red Cross has completed a training course on antiretroviral therapy management that is specifically designed for volunteers. The three-week training course, which is designed for volunteers with at last basic reading and writing skills, includes information on how to judge when an individual is ready to start antiretroviral therapy, and ensuring regimen adherence and good nutrition when taking antiretrovirals. The government aims to provide antiretroviral treatment to about 50,000 people living with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2007, according to the health ministry (IRIN News, 1/16).

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