HUMANITARIAN CARE UGANDA (HCU)

Project Title: Fighting AIDS In The Home (FAITH)

Project

LIRA DISTRICT
QUARTERLY REPORT
October 2012 December 2012

FAITH Project Quarterly Report October December 2012

List of Acronyms AIDS CHCT FAITH GLCs HERO HCU HIV PHAs PMTCT RDC SMC STI UHMG USAID Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Couple HIV Counseling and Testing Fighting AIDS In The Home Project Good Life Clinics (UHMG supported private health facilities) Couples trained and equipped with relevant skills to work as community resource persons on issues which affect married people. Humanitarian Care Uganda Human Immunodeficiency Virus People living with HIV/AIDS Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV Resident District Commissioner Safe Male Circumcision Sexually Transmitted Infections Uganda Health Marketing Group United States Agency for International Development

FAITH Project Quarterly Report October December 2012

1.0 Introduction
This report is a product of a number of the FAITH project activities that were implemented in Lira district for the period between October and December 2012. FAITH- an acronym for Fighting AIDS In The Home is a project whose goal is to contribute to the reduction of new HIV infections among couples in long term sexual unions and increasing awareness and utilization of services for a good life through; Strengthening the capacity of communities to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and promote behavioral change towards faithfulness among couples in long term stable unions Improving access to information on HIV prevention, care and treatment, maternal and child health services including linkages to facility based services for couples. The project supports HIV prevention among couples and partners in long term sexual relationships integrated in broader maternal and child health services. As an implementing agency, Humanitarian Care Uganda received support from USAID through UHMG to implement FAITH project activities in 9 districts across Uganda, among which Lira is inclusive. Below is a descriptive summary on the projects performance in Lira (in accordance to the period under review). 2.0 Project Performance in Lira District A number of activities were planned and conducted during Oct-Dec 2012 quarter which included among others; promoting and orienting couples on modern family planning methods, safe male circumcision, promotion of faithfulness and maternal health outreaches, referrals for CHCT, marital counseling, and support supervision among others. See details as described below:2.1 Activities Implemented 2.1.1 Promoted and oriented 24 couples on a variety of modern family planning methods In order to respond to the public outcry of promoting small manageable families, HCU through the FAITH project procured a number of modern family planning products as were requested by the couples in their respective groups; which included injecta plan, Implants, IUDs, New Fem, Soft sure, Pilplan plus, O-condoms, protector condoms. These were distributed to UHMG supported Good Life Clinics of Boroboro and PAG Health units. As result to ensure effective utilization of these products, HCU oriented a number of
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FAITH Project Quarterly Report October December 2012

24 couples on how to use such products. Meanwhile, upon distribution of these products to the earlier mentioned health units, HCU invited the chairpersons of the Boroboro, Adekokwok and Ngetta Fidelity clubs who witnessed the delivery and handover of these products to ease referral for couple services.

Fig 1 Fig 2 rd th Fig1 shows Leaders of Fidelity (Mr. Okodi 3 from left Mr. Okabo 4 from left) witnessing the delivery of FP products while the in charge of Boroboro HC Mr. Opito Samuel (in white sleeved shirt records the products Fig2 showsThe Secretary of Ngetta Fidelity Club, Rev. James Odoo (3rd from right) witnessing the delivery of FP products to PAG Health Unit as the administrator Rev. Benjamin (extreme right) looks on.
Table 1: Family Planning Products distributed S/N Item 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Injectaplan Implants IUDS New Fem Soft Sure Pilplans plus Protector condoms Aqua safe

QUANTITY SUPPLIED PAG HEALTH UINT 2 cartons 1 carton 8 boxes 8 small boxes 1 carton 1 carton 2 cartons

BOROBORO HC III 20 x 10 x 15 1 carton 50 pieces 12 boxes 5 boxes 1 carton 2 cartons 2 cartons 3

FAITH Project Quarterly Report October December 2012

2.1.2 Community education and mobilization In order to enable couples attach value to being faithful to one another as a way of fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS and reduce new infections, HCU through the fidelity clubs carried out community education and mobilization outreaches for promoting faithfulness among couples. In this, members of the 6 fidelity clubs located in the FAITH sub counties of Adekokwok, Ngetta and Barr engaged community members through peer to peer education and community outreach visits in which issues related to increased vulnerability to HIV infection like sero discordant, gender based violence were discussed. In total, 7,586 (3629 men & 3957 women) adults were reached by the HERO couples with HIV prevention messages in Lira district during this quarter, as shown in the distribution table below. Table 1:Summary of individuals reached by HERO couples during the quarter DISTRICT SUB-COUNTY OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER TOTAL Barr 278 293 286 Ojwina 292 310 301 Amach 328 325 329 Agweng 122 151 134 Lira 185 167 171 Adyel 286 280 269 Central Div 221 240 207 Ngetta 267 239 243 Adekokwok 323 382 328 Agali 205 221 203 Total 2507 2608 2471 Table 2: Distribution by age and gender Male Female Total 1687 1843 3530 1942 2114 4056 3629 3957 7586

857 903 982 407 523 835 668 749 1033 629 7586

Age bracket 15-24 years 25 & Above Grand Total

Percentage 46.5 53.5 100

FAITH Project Quarterly Report October December 2012 2.1.3 Linkages for Couples HIV Counseling and Testing among couples

HCU through the FAITH project working with the Good Life Clinics supported couples to know their HIV statuses through HCT. HERO couples mobilized peers for CHCT outreaches and also referred a number of peers for other couple services including family planning, STI management couple services in Lira District. In this situation, a total number of 249 couples were mobilized and tested in the three sub-counties of Ngetta, Barr andAdekokwok as shown in the table below Table 3: Summary of Couple HIV Counseling and Testing data Number of couples tested Discordant during the quarter and received results 07 couples 249 couples Positive 09 couples Negative 233 couples

Fig 3

Fig 4

Fig 3: A medical personnel from Boroboro Health Centre III attending to a couple during a couple HCT outreach in Adekwokok sub-county in lira district Fig 4: A counselor attending to a couple after having been tested during a couple HCT outreach
2.1.4 Mobilization for Maternal Health Services

As part of the package of services under the prosper strategy of the FAITH project, HCU through and with the HERO couples mobilized, referred and followed up 291 peers especially pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS for PMTCT and family planning
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FAITH Project Quarterly Report October December 2012

through peer to peer outreaches. Couples mobilized were referred to GLCs and government health facilities as a means of promoting safe motherhood, child survival and care during pregnancy.
2.1.5 Mobilization for Child Health Services

During the quarter, HERO couples through community mobilization outreaches referred and followed up 484 children for children health services.
2.1.6 Safe Male Circumcision

Through Peer to peer education and conducting of community outreach visits,HCU working with HERO couples mobilized adult males in their respective communities and encouraged them to embrace and participate in Safe Male Circumcision for HIV prevention. In total, 213 adult males were mobilized and underwent through SMC in the three sub-counties, where the FAITH project operates.
2.1.7 Marital Counseling

As a way to strengthen families, HCU through members of the Fidelity Clubs provided counseling on marital issues to community members on issues like gender based violence and discordance to promote family harmony. During the quarter, a total of 1,082 couples in Lira were counseled on marital issues. 2.1.8 Support supervision& Monitoring visits To make sure that all project activities are carried on as prescribed in the proposal, HCU during this quarter conducted a support supervision and monitoring visit, which enabled it to collect wide range of data in regard to the project performance.

2.2 Quarter Activity Performance Matrix No. Activity Description

1.

Performance Indicators

Target
24 persons

Output
24 persons

%age Comments clarification

100%

/Performance

Promote and orient No. of couples oriented HERO couples on a

Accomplished. Thanks to the effective mobilization and interest

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FAITH Project Quarterly Report October December 2012

2.

3.

4.

5. 6.

variety of modern FP methods Community education and mobilization for promotion of faithfulness Linkages for CHCT among people in long term sexual relationships Mobilization for Maternal Health Services Mobilization for Child Health Services Safe Male Circumcision Marital Counseling

in the project by HERO couples No. of people in long term sexual relationships educated and mobilized for couple services No. of couples mobilized for CHCT and receiving their results 8,823 adults 7,586 adult 86% individuals Ongoing.

1,728 couples

249 couples

14%

No. of mothers accessing 700 Maternal Health services mothers No. of Children accessing Child Health services No. of adult males embracing SMC for HIV prevention No. of couples counseled to promote family harmony 1175 children 1598 adult males -

291 mothers

42%

Ongoing but affected by shortages of test kits and the number of outreaches per month which needs to be increased Ongoing.

484 children 213 males 1,082 couples 1 visits

41%

Ongoing. Ongoing

adult 13%

7.

Ongoing. Thanks to frequent club meetings and outreaches. 100% Accomplished

8.

Support supervision No. of visits conducted and monitoring visits

1 visit

3.0 Best practice

Working with and through HERO couples (members in the local community), for it quickens mobilization and more so a sign of community direct participation and responsibility in the project activities.

4.0

Lessons Learnt

1. Fidelity clubs involved in activities aimed at improving the livelihoods of families like poverty eradication activities through income generation and rotational loans are performing far better and stand a chance of staying united for long. 2. There are an increasing number of couples knowing their statutes and cases of behaviour change at community level led by fidelity club members which is a key to reducing stigma, and raise uptake of couple services and demand for the FAITH project increases.
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FAITH Project Quarterly Report October December 2012

5.0 Challenges
1. Clubs kept together by other activities other than those of the FAITH project risk being swayed from the original purpose of the very existence. 2. The unprecedented demand for FAITH project activities is not reciprocated by adequate resources to have the project scaled up. 3. Whereas demand for modern family planning services in high among couples, access to the modern family planning services for couples is still a challenge. Most family decisions hinge on men most of whom are not ready to embrace FP. 4. The negative reactions and negligence of Catholic founded health facilities to some methods of family planning.

6.0 Planned activities for the next quarter

During the next quarter, HCU through the FAITH project intends to: Support linkages to Couple HIV counseling and Testing services among couples in long term stable unions in the project districts Support HERO couples to reach out to other members for couple services. Monitor, evaluate and provide support supervision to the FAITH Project Conduct quarterly review meetings with stakeholders