The activity took place at Emeyal-I Town Hall, Ogbia LGA on February 20 – 21, 2016. A total of 26 (M/7, F/19) HBC CVs/Role models and 10 (M/2, F/8) OVC CVs were in attendance. The RHF Team was also present. Participants were drawn from the seven project-targeted communities in Ogbia LGA.
The meeting aimed to refresh the HBC CVs/Role Models on Basic Nursing Care for PLHIV, enhancing their capacity to provide adherence support at the community level for sustainability purposes. It also offered an opportunity to review project reports and data with HBC and OVC CVs, enhancing OVC CVs to ensure continuous support for orphans and vulnerable children.
RHF PM refreshed the knowledge of the HBC CVs/ Role models on Home-Based Care. According to her, the most critical aspect of HBC is that those who are handicapped, blind, very sick, and cannot visit the hospital can be reached out to. It is also vital that stigmatization be shunned as it has been found to be one of the factors that promote the spread of HIV/AIDS. For continuity, the volunteers should link new clients to the nearest Support Groups and follow up on them.
Several contributions were made by the CVs on Home-Based Care, and questions were also asked and answers provided by the RHF Team.
Love Bekewari, a role model representing Ogbia main town, recommended that awareness about HIV/AIDS should be created more in the interior areas of the state, as many still die of ignorance.
The sustainability plans were drawn by the community volunteers according to their support group. It entails the activities they intend to carry out, the strategies, the resources needed, the time required, and recommendations.
The OVC CVs were also urged to provide continuous support to the OVC, not relenting in their efforts to conduct home visits and provide other necessary assistance the children might need after the project.
Several questions were asked by the community volunteers on sustainability, and answers were provided by the RHF team. The CVs promised to put in their best for the welfare of the children, even at the end of the RHF/BYSACA/HPDPDII Project.
Having exhausted the agenda for the day’s meetings, lunch was shared with the participants, and transport allowances were also paid.
