Nyakahanga Care and Treatment Centre (CTC)

Nyakahanga Care and Treatment Centre (CTC) started on 1st April 2005 after training on ARV management at Bugando Medical centre in March 2005. After two month of starting care services (registering patient with HIV and giving them opportunistic infection treatment) in June 2005 the centre stared giving ARV to people with HIV after clinical evaluation based on WHO staging. Those were clinical stage 4 were started on ARV and some on stage 3 were started as well.

In May 2006 one organisation supporting care and treatment came in as a partner: The International Centre for AIDS Care and Treatment Programme (ICAP). ICAP supported the centre with a CD4 machine, biochemistry and a computer. Then CTC started to check CD4 to all patients. Giving ARV was now based on CD4. Sometimes clinical staging was used.

1844 clients are registered: Male above 14 years 526, female above 14 years 1202, male 0-14 years 58, female 0-14 years 58. On ARV total 941, male above 14 years 298, female above 14 years 595, male 0-14 yrs 23 and female 0-14 yrs 25.

Achievements

The centre is running daily;
All CTC services are given under one roof;
The centre has ARV experts (peer educators) who are used to address adherence issues, stigmas issue, nutritional support and encouraging PLHA to come forward;
Weekly multidisciplinary meeting;
The centre has a computer data base; Some staff have been mentoring new stated CTC sites in the district of Karagwe;
Facilitating some training.

Challenges

Shortage of staff;
No permanent buildings (as now the centre uses rooms with ceiling board partition);
Many clients are from far and since they are poor it has been difficult to afford monthly visits;
District of Karagwe is not yet fully involved in the services;
No enough equipments for diagnosing TB effectively;
Only a small number of hospital staff has been trained yet.

Contact

Further information through Dr. Kashashari or Dr. Andrew by Email: doctor-nyakahanga@kad.or.tz.

Text: Dr. Kashashari