There are still areas of the world were people with HIV can't access treatment. This project will directly pay viral load tests and give access to treatment for 25 adults and 5 children living with HIV in the hard-to-reach Bakassi peninsula. All logistical costs are covered by other operations of our organization in the area.
HIV prevalence remains high in the remote Bakassi, Cameroon (8%), far above national (4.3%) and regional (5.4%) prevalence. The situation could be worse than that, a Voluntary Testing campaign we conducted in the area (2015) revealed that from a sample of 162 persons tested for HIV, 29 were positive (17.9%), 21 of them women. Most of these 29 people are not on treatment today because of lack of resources and a dysfunctional health system.
With your support, 30 people with HIV will be able to do a subsidized viral load test. Knowing about the viral load of a patient is the first step to place the client on the right treatment. It's also the best way to monitor that treatment. We will also keep communicating regularly with them to encourage them to stick to treatment.
This project will contribute to individual and community viral suppression: those who are HIV positive will live healthy lives and not be threatened by AIDS, those who don't have the virus will be less exposed to infections. Most of these communities are small, just helping a few individuals can make all the difference. Babies will be born HIV free and sexual transmission of HIV will be greatly reduced. This will help attain the UNAIDS 90 90 90 goal and make an AIDS-free generation possible.
