A New Model for Decentralized Care in Mozambique

A big theme of discussions around the conference centre is simplified and easy to access treatment. I have heard many people living with HIV/AIDS as well as their doctors, nurses and other health care staff talk about how it would be so much better if there were easier and less time-consuming methods for getting patients treatment quickly and effectively. This means that not only patients spend less time going to and from their clinic (sometimes more than 50 km from their homes), but their health care team also can focus on the sicker patients, and allow the patients adhering to their drugs and doing well on antiretrovirals to get on with their lives.

Today, MSF Doctor Tom Decroo will be discussing a new decentralized and patient-centred model of care in Mozambique. (You can catch him twice, once at 3.00pm in the MSF Global Village stand, and again at 5 in Session Room 2.)

As in many other sub-Saharan countries, health services in Mozambique face huge problems in responding adequately to the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS. A lack of qualified human resources and poor access to healthcare in rural areas are two important factors contributing to the problem.

In the Tete province in northern Mozambique, MSF has developed an innovative model of HIV-care to overcome some of these challenges. HIV-patients are divided into groups of around 10 people. Each month, the group chooses one member to go to the health centre and collect the ARV refills for the other members and to report on the health of the individual members. Upon return, the representative distributes the ARVs to the members of his group.

This simple concept has lead to a reduction of the burden on healthcare services, as less patients need to queue up to get their drugs. It has also made it simpler for patients in remote areas to obtain their drugs, as they only have to pay for transportation for the designated group leader and do not need to take time off to travel to the health centre. In addition, patients give each other support and check that everyone in the group adheres to treatment.

Watch the video for more information:

Hope to see you at the presentations!!!

Alex