Participatory evaluation of counselling, medical and social services of The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) in Uganda
Kaleeba, N.; Kalibala, S.; Kaseje, M.; Ssebbanja, P.; Anderson, S.; van Praag, E.; Tembo, G.; Katabira, E.
Aids Care 9(1): 13-26
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0954-0121 PMID: 9155910 DOI: 10.1080/09540129750125307Document Number: 313877
The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) is an indigenous nongovernmental organization of HIV-infected and affected people in Uganda. The organization provides counseling, social support, and medical and nursing care for opportunistic infections at seven centers affiliated with district hospitals in Uganda. TASO's services were evaluated during 1993-94 via a participatory approach involving staff and clients. The organization's counseling services helped clients and their families to cope with HIV and AIDS, with 90.4% of clients revealing their serostatus, and 57.2% reporting the consistent use of condoms during the preceding 3 months. TASO was the main source of medical care for clients with opportunistic infections during the preceding 6 months. As a result of counseling, 56.9% of clients made plans for the future and 51.3% wished to make wills. The evaluation further found a high level of acceptance of people with HIV/AIDS (PWA) by families (79%) and the community (76%). Women provided 86.2% of in-home care to PWA. TASO's experience demonstrates that individuals and their families can live positively with HIV/AIDS and that specialized AIDS care services can be readily added to existing health services at the district level.