The South African Red Cross Society is a Humanitarian Relief organization which mandate is to alleviate human suffering and foster human dignity.
This project aims to alleviate the default rates of HIV and TB and related illnesses.
Our Nutrition project is aimed at clients who do not have food to eat before taking their medication. This project is to encourage clients to collect their medication and be adherent to treatment and medication and not to become defaulters. A warm meal encourages them to come to the clinic. Without sustenance an HIV positive or TB client cannot take their medication, this would make the intake of their medication ineffective.
A well-balanced diet is required to strengthen the body’s defence system to protect it from infections. Without food/sustenance non-compliance can easily lead to resistance. South Africa has the third largest Tuberculosis (TB) epidemic in the world. HIV is fueling the TB epidemic, as people living with HIV are at a far higher risk of developing TB, as a weakened immune system allows the development of the disease. 70% of people living with HIV in South Africa are also co-infected with TB.
In our effort to close the gap, and help clients to be adherent to treatment, we have started the ARV-TB Nutrition project.
Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.