Medicine for HIV+ Children in Uganda

Greetings from Africa!

Christine is 11 years old and used to be sickly, being hospitalized often.  She wasn't responding to the second line protocol and had to be switch to third line treatment.  Thankfully, she was able to access uninterrupted treatment and her complications have been resolved.  Christine is now living a normal life and is enrolled in school.  Her school performance has greatly improved and she wasn't shy to share her picture, some posted here.  She sends a huge thank you to AFCA for helping her to have a more healthy and active life.

Generally, many of our clients had dermatological diseases.  These have now been well managed with help of the American Foundation for Children with AIDS.  In the past year, no one has left the clinic with unmet needs for medication.  We have been able to have 100% of the prescriptions for all vital/lifesaving medicines fully served.  This is quite an accomplishment and we give AFCA all the thanks for supporting us in this way.

The team here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS thanks you for supporting this project and the work we do for  children in Africa.  As you start to make decisions regarding your end of year giving, please keep us in mind so we can continue our good work into 2019 and beyond.  We wish you a new year full of many blessings and as much hope as you have shared with us.  If you would like to learn even more about what we do or how you can meet some of the children you have helped, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org. 

Brenda is 24 years old and she was started on ARVs when she was 9 years old.  She had no idea why she taking the medication and only found out she was HIV positive when she was 13 years old.  This affected her physical and mental health because of the many questions she had.  Why her?  Why does she have HIV?  Why didn’t her parents tell her she had HIV?  It took a lot of counselling and peer support to encourage her, but damage had already been done as far as failing in her treatment plan.

Brenda was switched to second line drugs when she was 17 years old, but her health continued to decline quickly.  Her viral load was increasing and Brenda's quality of life was not good.  She was in the hospital more than not!  Brenda was started on a third line of drugs last year in a effort to save her life.  This line includes drugs that Baylor-Uganda just can't cover in their budget.  However, this is where the AFCA intervention comes in by purchasing the third line drugs.

Brenda says the third line drugs have little side effects and have really boosted her immunity.  Her viral load is way down and her counts have improved.  She is currently pursuring her bachrlor's degree and is forever grateful to Baylor-Uganda for caring for her in addition to counseling her even at a time when she had become stubborn and was not properly taking her drugs.  Brenda is also thankful for the American Foundation for Children with AIDS and their donors for supplying the third line drugs.  She would not be here today, striving for her dreams and education, without your support.

Everyone here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS, and our partners in Africa. thank you for your continued support of this important project.  If you would like to learn even more about this project and others, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org.