Child sponsor update Lesotho
10/12/2007
SOS Medical Centre, Maseru, Lesotho
October 2007
The Clinic continued to be busy throughout the year. HIV/AIDS is hitting our country like other countries; young people are dying and leaving children with grand-parents, most of whom are not working and have no source of income.
Gradually people are beginning to understand about HIV/AIDS. They go for voluntary counselling and testing including expectant mothers. Those who take Anti-Retroviral drugs are encouraged to go for check-ups as indicated. Also four of SOS children are on treatment. Workshops are being organized by the government and different organizations to educate community people on HIV/AIDS.
The clinic is busy with curative treatment for opportunistic illnesses. T.B. remains a problem; patients respond to their treatment well and complete it but soon relapse after food packages supplied by World Food Programme are stopped. In addition, SOS Mothers and children have been attended to and referred to specialized clinics where need arises.
There is an increase in number of under-five years old children who come for curative treatment and are treated successfully, referrals done where necessary.
The Public Health nurses from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare visited the clinic to come and check on the storage of immunizations, they were pleased and congratulated us on the good work we were doing.
Services provided from the clinic this year covered the following:
Physical examination of newly admitted children to SOS Children’s Village and Nursery School and referrals to specialized clinics done.
Immunizations and growth monitoring of the under-five years old children.
As well daily monitoring of TB patients to ensure compliance to their treatment continued.
Ante-natal clinic continued to be busy throughout the year, Health education on sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and prevention of mother to child transmission.
Workshops attended by the clinic staff:
Integrated Management in childhood, adolescent and adult illnesses
Signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS and monitoring tools
Treatment of opportunistic illnesses
ARV drugs and their interaction
Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission
Monthly meetings on health related issues
Computer literacy
Storage of immunizations.
The clinic expansion
There are two consulting rooms and treatment room for patients, and a spacious Waiting room, and this warranted the employment of a second nurse, and also because of the increasing number of patients. Because of the expansion of the clinic, services offered increased, such as Ante-Natal Clinic.
Relevant Countries: Lesotho.