This project will supply 55 HIV+ children with daily life-saving medicine in Uganda for an entire year. HIV+ children desperately need medicine to combat opportunistic infections (pneumonia, thrush, tuberculosis, etc) and to keep full-blown AIDS at bay. This project will also provide 10,000 HIV testing kits for pregnant moms and for children. This lets us to know who needs medicine. 55 children will receive a year of medicine and 10,000 people will be tested.
AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. We know that children who take anti-retroviral medicine live long, productive lives. But, where care and treatment are not available, studies suggest that 35% of infected children die in the first year of life, 50% by their second birthday, and 75% by their fifth birthday. Free medicine is only available to a small percentage of HIV+ children - we need to do more to help!
AFCA partners with the Baylor-Uganda of Mulago Hospital to provide life-saving medicine to children throughout Uganda. This partner works closely with over 71 small clinics throughout Uganda to care for children who've been infected by HIV. They provide counseling, medical care and medicine to these children. Finally, these children have a voice and together, we make sure they receive the testing, counseling and medicine they need to live.
By caring for children, they have a chance to grow up healthy. By caring for their guardians, we keep children from becoming orphans. By providing HIV+ pregnant women with testing kits and medicine, we give the baby a great chance of being born HIV free.
