By Delisa Thwala
An enlightening visit at Mafutseni Clinic by, US Ambassador Charge d’Affaires, Caitlin Piper, alongside Centres for Diseases Control (CDC) Catherine McLean, and representatives from CDC and Georgetown University’s Center for Global Health Practice and Impact (GU CGHPI), delved into an enriching experience.
The delegation explored and witnessed firsthand the dedication of healthcare providers, exploring innovative solutions implemented by the facility through GU CGHPI’s support, and fostering partnerships.
They not only get an opportunity to interact with the facility’s Healthcare workers and tour but also get an opportunity to interact with some of the DREAMS beneficiaries (under Economic Strengthening and Education).
The girls had displayed some of their products and the delegates had the opportunity to buy some products that were displayed by the girls.
The visit ended with a visit to Ngculwini, where GU CGHPI has partnered with a local Pharmacy to distribute HIV Self-Testing Kits.
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A recent study evaluated the implementation and running costs of an HIV self-testing (HIVST) distribution program in Eswatini.
HIVST kits were delivered through community-based and workplace models using primary and secondary distribution. Primary clients could self-test onsite or offsite.
This study presented the total running economic costs of kit distribution per model between April 2019 and March 2020 and estimates the average cost per HIVST kit distributed, per client self-tested, per client self-tested reactive, per client confirmed positive, and per client initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART).
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A total of 19 155 HIVST kits were distributed to 13,031 individuals over 12 months, averaging 1.5 kits per recipient. This means 83% and 17% of kits were distributed via the community and workplace models, respectively.
Clients reached via the workplace model were less likely to opt for onsite testing than clients in the community model.
Meanwhile, the esteemed visitors expressed how impressed they were by the innovative work that was being done towards helping EmaSwati.
