Caring for people with AIDS: it can be done
Campbell, I.; Rader, A.D.
Africa Health 12(5): 46-47
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0141-9536 PMID: 12283360 Document Number: 371202
The evolution of care for AIDS patients at the Chikankata Hospital in Southern Zambia, from inpatient to outpatient management, is described. Hospital and community health care of AIDs patients should integrate education, counseling, clinical, nursing, laboratory, pastoral care and administration. Decentralization of primary health car into the wider community is achieved in this way. The ultimate result of community care is re-education of the family and the community so that behavioral change in patterns of sexual intercourse occurs. At Chikankata Hospital the average length of stay of HIV patients has fallen from 32 days in 1987 to 16.2 days in 1988. Numbers of home care patients have increased, as 80% prefer home visits, and most people prefer to die at home. As an example of the powerful effect of community counseling as a result of home care, people are deciding to take action on the issue of ritual cleansing by sexual intercourse, to re-introduce traditional taboos and family authority, and to discuss the effect of alcohol on AIDS. Chikankata Hospital has also started training programs for AIDS health workers from the region, and for local volunteers. Transferable management concepts include the term "normalization" which implies that AIDS is here to stay and future generations must be protected by permanent change in behavior.