Tanzania


Palliative care volunteers with their home-based care kits at Bunda

In December 2006 FHSSA was awarded a three year grant “Continuum of Care for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania” (CHAT) with funding from the US governments’ - President’s Emergency Response to AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)’s New Partners Initiative program. The aim of the project is to scale up quality palliative care services through a network of rural home-based care providers. With FHSSA serving as the lead agency, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) is the implementing partner and the African Palliative Care Association (APCA) is supporting the monitoring and reporting system.

The need for palliative care in Tanzania is tremendous. The country has a population of more than 37 million and covers a geographic area about twice the size as the state of California. Approximately 1.4 million people are living with HIV/AIDS and an estimated 20,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 200 individuals in Tanzania lack access to palliative care. In addition, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has left an estimated 1.2 million orphans and vulnerable children struggling to survive physically and emotionally and often caring for younger siblings.

 

CHAT supports 13 Lutheran hospital-based Palliative Care(PC) teams composed of a full time coordinator (a nurse), an assistant, and a social worker with part-time support from a pastor and oversight from a physician. The PC team works with the community to recruit and train Home Based Care (HBC) volunteers. The HBC volunteers identify and provide services primarily to those living with HIV/AIDS. In cases of severe illness or worsening disease, volunteers refer individuals/families to the PC team who deliver a full spectrum of services from medical care to spiritual support and bereavement counseling.

To reinforce these services, the PC teams partner with local congregations in the communities and identify vulnerable children. Depending on the child’s needs, the program provides bedding, nutritional support, health care, or educational resources. Through these partnerships, the community and families of palliative care patients are supported.

By October 2009 - 517 home-based care volunteers are working in the community providing support to 10,850 individuals. In addition, 8500 orphans and vulnerable children have received services. Every CHAT site has been partnered with a US Hospice through FHSSA’s Partner Initiative so that each organization can have access to individualized and continued support and sustainability into the future.

FHSSA thanks every individual donor, funding partner, and partner hospice for their support in this effort.

For further information, contact Shelley Smith at ssmith@fhssa.org.
A grandmother with her grandchildren outside of Marangu