Malawi: Police Press for VCT Centre

By HAPPY SAKA, The Chronicle Newspaper, March 20, 2006

Lilongwe--Senior Police officers in Lilongwe are pressing warning buttons on government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to immediately assist them with a voluntary counselling and testing centre (VCT) so that the officers and their families have access to information on sexual and reproductive health as well as HIV.

Some police officers told The Chronicle in an exclusive interview recently that there is need to establish a VCT centre at the regional office in Lilongwe where people can be tested for HIV/AIDS and get information on sexual and reproductive health.

"We would like to ask government and some other well wishers and non-governmental organisation to give us support so that we can have a VCT centre which will be providing us information about sexual and transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS testing," said one of the police officers.

The officers said many police officers are dying of HIV/AIDS and said government should do something to save their life. "Its true that police officers are dying of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS every month and this is because we do not have a VCT centre in most of the police stations in Malawi.

Even here we don't have a VCT centre, yet this is a police regional head quarters," he said".
The officers also disclosed that most of the police officers in the country are always shy to visit government or private hospitals to get treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

"It is difficult for police men to go for STI treatment in government hospitals because they are embarrassed, that's why we are insisting that we should have a VCT centre so that it will be easy for us to get treatment," said the officers.

The regional HIV/AIDS-coordinator for central regional police, Fredrick Semfoliano confirmed in a separate interview recently that the VCT centre is indeed needed at the regional. "I can confirm to you that it's true that we don't have VCT centre here which can treat sexual and transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.

We have been pushing this issue to the headquarters in area 30 and it seems like they are working on it," said Semfoliano who could not shade more right on the issue.

He further said it has been always difficult for most of the police officers, more especially those that are affected to go to a near by hospital or the right house to get anti-retroviral drugs, (ARVs) and information about sexual and reproductive health.

He also said the coming of a VCT centre would help many police officers to have knowledge on how they can prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

"We have tried our best to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS but we have not yet tackled much of the issue about sexual and reproductive health. We feel if we can have a VCT Centre, many police officers will be able to visit the centre since it will be close to them and the living life standard can change as well.

However, National AIDS coordinator for police, Edward Chatsalira said in an interview that the issue has already been put into consideration and plans are underway to construct a VCT centre at the stations.

"Yes we have received the information about the need for a VCT centre and at the moment we are planning to talk to city assembly officials so that they can give us land to construct a good VCT centre," he said Chatsalira added: "We need to train counsellors who will be treating the officers and this will be done after we have sourced some financial assistance from donors," he said.

Asked to comment on the issue of police officers dying of HIV/Aids and sexually transmitted diseases, Chatsalira sounded ignorant on the issue saying he needs time to cross check figures at his office.

The investigations conducted by this reporter have reviewed that the Malawi police service has only two VCT centres, one in Zomba and the other one at the police headquarters in area 30.

The VCT centre which is in area 30 has been treating sexual and transmitted infections and providing information about HIV/AIDS and family planning methods.

The investigations have also reviewed that the police service is planning to establish VCT centres in all major police stations namely, Blantyre, Mzuzu and Mtakataka in as one way of reducing sexually transmitted diseases in the police service.

Source: AllAfrica.com

Kenya: Stalking the Aids virus in Samburu District

Kenya Daily Nation Newspaper, by Arthur Okwemba Publication 3/23/2006

Kenya--With only a bag, a file and a pair of strong legs, Daniel Ebongon traverses the width and breath of Samburu District hunting for the Aids virus.

Ebongon, known locally as the 'Hunter' has since December tested 231 people for HIV, giving a full new meaning to mobile VCT.

Today, when we caught up with him, the Hunter, had just walked over 25 kilometres to Lolkuniani in Wamba division, where several Samburu herdsmen and women had converged for the market day.

"This is one day I never miss, it offers a unique chance to meet a big group of people and possible clients," says Ebongon, who works for the Nomadic Community Trust.

As the people go about trading, the Hunter moves amongst them talking about the importance of knowing their HIV status. Some who have not heard of the virus are suspicious of his activities and rarely warm up to his messages.

On the other hand, those who agree to be tested are moved a few metres from the crowd where he counsels them, before carrying out the test. Within 30 minutes, the clients get their results.

Some who are willing but too busy trading have to be waited for, sometimes for as long as six hours when they are through with business. But yet others who are too busy have to be booked for the next market day. Even with all this difficulties, Ebongon is able to test three to four clients on every market day.

During other days, he moves to various homesteads educating the pastoralists about HIV and testing any who are willing. Although it has been difficult to cover a larger area, Ebongon will not be the only one walking around this area in the coming months.

Recently, the United Nations Population Fund, which has been funding activities on the prevention of HIV/Aids in the district, has trained people who will, among things, carry out mobile VCT work. At the moment, there is an innovative condom distribution system, which is supposed to work hand in hand with the mobile VCT strategy.

Because of the pastoralism lifestyle, UNFPA is facilitating the distribution of condoms through dispensers placed on tree branches along strategic routes. This enables men to pick these condoms as they go about their daily activities.

"The best strategy to intervene in the prevention and management of HIV/Aids in areas like Samburu is coming up plans that fit well with the way of life of these people," says Judy Karogo of UNFPA.

With the walking VCT and condom dispensers patched on trees, there is hope to reduce HIV prevalence from the current 8.1 per cent. "But easier said than done," says Ebongon

At times when he goes for a prior appointment he might find the client has moved, in which case
he has to track them down– a herculean task.

The other challenge is that people are demanding to be given ARVs before they agree to be tested. The situation becomes more difficult as those found to be HIV positive constantly follow him wanting to be provided with the drugs.

Although some of the hospitals in the district have ARVs, those infected have to walk for over 50 kilometres to reach the nearest centre.

A number of his clients who came for pre-test counselling have failed to return for post-test counselling; while others have never returned for another test after the three months window period.

The situation is equally difficult for him when he tries to convince his relatives friends and acquaintances to be tested. "Some of these people fear that confidentiality will be compromised and would rather have the test done by a stranger."

Despite all these difficulties, mobile VCT centres are being touted as the best strategy in reaching out to as many people as possible in the rural areas and communities living in extreme remote areas.

In a recent interview, Dr Kevin DeCock, former director of the US Centres for Disease Control in Kenya, said establishing VCT centres in areas where people are dispersed was going to be a waste of resources.

He argued that the use of mobile VCT centres which are operated by people not from the community where the tests are being done would be the best way forward.

Source: Kenya Daily Nation