Forsaken: Who’s on the frontline?
The Trump administration spent months eliminating community health worker (CHW) programs. Now officials recognize their importance.
Chitedze is a sparsely populated and poor area of central Malawi. Chale’s job was to try to convince people with HIV to return to the Chitedze Health Clinic and restart their ART. Earlier this year, he was abruptly fired from the project when the Trump administration cut its funding.
The rise in people falling off treatment prompted the clinic to call its cadre of former CHWs and ask if they might resume their work. Several agreed, no matter that they would no longer be paid. Chale was among them.
Spotlight: Withdrawal of US aid has hurt South Africa’s HIV programme
Public health experts have accused the government of being in denial about the consequences of the withdrawal of US aid. Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has responded defiantly. In May, he stated that a record number of people had been initiated on ARVs over the previous months, a claim disputed by epidemiologists.
Related HIV and Co-Infections News
Get involved
Are you living with HIV/AIDS? Are you part of a community affected by HIV/AIDS and co-infections? Do you work or volunteer in the field? Are you motivated by our cause and interested to support our work?
Subscribe
Stay in the loop and get all the important EATG updates in your inbox with the EATG newsletter. The HIV & co-infections bulletin is your source of handpicked news from the field arriving regularly to your inbox.