MATSAPHA, Swaziland -Wednesday, September 27th 2017 [ AETOS Wire ]
(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The AIDS Healthcare Foundation has officially launched its fifth Clinic in Swaziland -Matsapha Comprehensive Healthcare Clinic, in partnership with the Swaziland Ministry of Health and the Matsapha Town Council. The launch of the clinic signaled the commencement of celebratory activities to mark AHF’s 10 year anniversary in the Kingdom of Swaziland.
Speaking at the colourful ceremony, Dr. Nduduzo Dube, AHF Swaziland Country Program Manager, shared AHF’s journey and achievements since it first expanded its services to the Kingdom, in 2007.
“In August 2007, AHF established its first ART clinic in Manzini: Lamvelase Help Centre. This was done in close partnership with the Ministry Of Health, Manzini City Council and other notable partners. The clinic was initially meant to cater for the working class population in urban Manzini, however, due to the high demand for HIV treatment at the time, it was impossible to limit our services to the Manzini community alone,” he explained.
“The program has grown rapidly over the last ten years, expanding its footprints across the country. Today, AHF Swaziland boasts of five comprehensive HIV clinics in three out of the four regions of the country from where it serves over 26,000 clients, and contributed greatly to Swaziland’s recent remarkable success of achieving 44% decline in new HIV infections and 73% viral load suppression among those infected and on treatment,” he added.
On hand to unveil the clinic was Dr. B. Sibusiso Dlamini, the Right Honorable Prime Minister of Swaziland who had so much praise for AHF’s commitment and work in the Country’s fight against HIV/AIDS.
“The Kingdom of Swaziland is deeply grateful to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) for the treatment and care services to which I have referred. But the assistance has not been confined to that. AHF has also run extensive prevention programmes which have included Community Outreach dialogues and HIV testing. In the last four years it has also distributed an average of five million condoms each year,” he remarked.
The Matsapha clinic is one of the sites that exemplifies the advantage and importance of collaboration in the HIV/AIDS response. The clinic also offers comprehensive healthcare services as a result of the combined effort of three key partners: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, MSF and AHF.
It provides General Outpatient, and HIV/TB services that targets the Industrial workers of Matsapha town; a population whose intense work schedule makes it difficult to access Healthcare services. The facility operates after work hours and weekends for the convenience of those who cannot take time off work.
In his remarks, Dr. Wamae Maranga, AHF Africa Deputy Bureau Chief, thanked the government of Swaziland for it’s solid partnership over the years, while reiterating AHF’s dedication to support Swaziland’s interventions.
“I would like to extend our gratitude to the government of the Kingdom of Swaziland, most especially His Majesty, the Ministry of Health and NERCHA. We have made so much progress in Swaziland today because you created an enabling environment for our team and continuously support our efforts,” he stated.
“AHF is committed to supporting the Swaziland government and His majesty’s vision of eradicating AIDS by the year 2022 and we will not rest on our oars, for as long as the HIV epidemic affects the country. We remain focused and patient centered,” he stressed.
The 10 year anniversary commemoration in Swaziland feeds into AHF’s overall 30 year anniversary celebration of patient-centered HIV/AIDS advocacy, prevention and treatment services.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 807,000 individuals in 39 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealthand follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare
Contacts
AHF AFRICA
Oluwakemi Gbadamosi
Senior Manager PR and Communications – Africa Bureau
Oluwakemi.gbadamosi@aidshealth.org
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