ABOUT
TB HIV Care’s goals and targets are aligned to the collective 90-90-90 targets set by UNAIDS in 2014, whereby 90% of all people living with HIV know their status, 90% of all people diagnosed with HIV receive sustained antiretroviral therapy and 90% of all people of on antiretroviral therapy achieve viral suppression.
All our programmes aim to achieve this – while establishing best practice in terms of identifying, treating and supporting all those at risk. This includes people in the general population or in key populations (for example, inmates and officials in correctional facilities, people who use drugs and sex workers), because, most importantly, all our programmes answer the call of goal three of South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on HIV, STIs and TB – that no one is left behind.
Services includes :
- HIV Prevention Programme
The HIV Prevention Programme consists of various activities and projects, including: HIV testing and counseling services (HTS) Condom distribution Workshops aimed at changing high-risk sexual behaviour (Stepping Stones, Man 2 Man, Families Matter and DREAMS) Our largest programme, the HIV Prevention Programme provides targeted services in high burden areas – determined to reach the those most in need with high quality, patient-centred care. - VMMC Programme
TB HIV Care continues to off voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC), a procedure that reduces a man’s chance of contracting HIV by up to 60%, in partnership with the National Department of Health. Teams maintain a close relationship with the DOH and conduct procedures in DOH facilities through roving teams, as well as through fixed sites operated by partners. Partnerships with private GP networks have been formalised to target a broader audience and we also work with traditional leaders and practioners in the Eastern Cape to provide medical male circumcision in the traditional male circumcision space. TB HIV Care works closely with demand-creating partners to optimise the uptake of VMMC services. Community Media Trust and Careworks partner with TB HIV Care to deliver demand creation services. - Correctional Services Programme
Inmates in correctional services around the world are at a higher risk of both TB and HIV. South Africa is no different. TB HIV Care has been supporting the Department of Correctional Services since 2009. We currently offer TB screening (including chest X-rays) and HIV testing and counselling to about 46% of all South African inmates. In addition, we work with the Department of Correctional Services to strengthen the TB and HIV health services available in prison by, for example, training nurses to start eligible HIV positive inmates on antiretroviral treatment. TB HIV Care supports 95 correctional centres, which are located in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. TB HIV Care offers inmates TB screening as well as HIV counselling and testing services when they are admitted to a correctional centre, during biannual screening campaigns, and on release. Those inmates who show a symptom of TB are tested using GeneXpert technology. In addition to this, inmates are screened using mobile X-ray trucks, which travel to correctional centres to offer the service. If an inmate’s X-ray result is abnormal, he or she will be tested for TB using the GeneXpert. Inmates who test HIV positive are referred to correctional services health workers for initiation onto antiretroviral treatment (ART), while those who are confirmed to have active TB, are referred for TB treatment. TB HIV Care provides information on TB and HIV to inmates as part of HIV counselling and testing and through a peer education programme, where specific inmates are trained on TB and HIV and encouraged to share information with other inmates. Existing Department of Correctional Services (DCS) health services are strengthened through clinical mentoring provided to DCS health workers by experienced nurse mentors as well as through training in continuous quality improvement methods. This helps to improve the quality and continuity of care of inmates. TB HIV Care also works with other partners to assess and improve methods of controlling infection within centres. - Key Populations Programme
TB HIV Care works closely with key populations – marginalised groups who are at higher risk of HIV infection. This includes sex workers and people who use or inject drugs (PWUD or PWID). Often these groups are highly stigmatised and struggle to access HIV prevention services or appropriate treatment, care and support. This programme recognises that health is a human right. Specialised, client-centered services are provided in mobile wellness clinics that take HIV counselling and testing, screening for TB and sexually-transmitted infections, and other services onto the streets and into the places where sex workers or PWUD can easily access them. The programme also works to sensitise existing health care workers and systems to the needs and rights of key populations so that those who are referred for further diagnosis and treatment are provided with support in a nonjudgmental environment. TB/HIV Care’s sex work project, which operates in eThekwini, the Cape Metro, OR Tambo and Nelson Mandela Bay, has been a pioneer in offering pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to HIV negative sex workers as part of a government-led programme. TB HIV Care’s Step Up Project offers health services to people who inject drugs in Cape Town, Pretoria and Durban. Injecting drug users are one of the most vulnerable population groups when it comes to blood borne viruses. Our aim is to prevent or reduce HIV infections and other kinds of harm in the communities who use the Step Up Project’s services. This ‘harm reduction’ approach is widely accepted across the world as one that saves lives and the package of health services Step Up offers people who inject drugs (including opioid substitution therapy) is recommended by the World Health Organisation. - Care And Treatment Programme
The Care and Treatment Programme in the Eastern Cape is implemented by a TB HIV Care-led Consortium that includes Mothers2Mothers (m2m), SEAD, the Knowledge Translation Unit (KTU) and Community Media Trust (CMT). The programme supports 433 Department of Health facilities in three districts, namely Amathole, Chris Hani and Oliver Tambo. The programme aims to assist the districts in reaching the 90-90-90 HIV and TB targets through direct service delivery support and technical assistance. The approach not only caters for adult communities, but also incorporates service delivery to orphans and vulnerable children and their caregivers, as well as mother-baby pairs, under the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). - Social Development Programme
Within the communities of the Cape Metro, the TB HIV Care social support team works on promoting health and preventing HIV and TB through community outreaches and individual counselling sessions. If a client is experiencing challenges with a diagnosis or with staying on treatment, a clinic or one of TB/HIV Care’s mobile teams may refer the client to the social support team. The social workers can perform an assessment and assist with any psychosocial issues that may be affecting the client. Common challenges include fear of disclosing one’s status, depression, substance abuse, gender-based violence, and ignorance of how to apply for grants. - Home And Community-Based Care
TB HIV Care’s home and community-based care (HCBC) services consist of interventions that focus on wellness, health promotion, prevention of ill health and self-management support to empower clients to take care of their own health at home. The HCBC programme consists of 296 community healthcare workers (CHWs) and 17 CBS supervisors who all work in six substructures in the City of Cape Metropolitan Municipality. Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is an ever-growing concern globally and a big part of the HCBC programme includes DR-TB counselling, linkage to care and adherence support. - Training Programme
TB HIV Care’s Training Unit works closely with all our programmes to ensure that our health and support staff’s knowledge is current and up to date. This includes training on HTS guidelines, HIV prevention, values and ethics, counselling, linkage to care and HIV rapid test competency. TB HIV Care also supports other NGOs with workshops, learnerships and clinical training. TB HIV Care has been accredited as a Skills Development Provider with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) for a five-year period. TB HIV Care’s accreditation is for two qualifications: Health Promotions Officer and Social Auxiliary Work. TB HIV Care is also endorsed by the People Development Centre (Department of Health, Western Cape) to provide training and assessment for Rapid HIV Testing. - Tackling viral hepatitis
https://tbhivcare.org/tackling-viral-hepatitis/ - Workplace Wellness
https://tbhivcare.org/workplace-wellness-programme/ - Public-Private Partnerships
https://tbhivcare.org/public-private-partnerships/
