T is for Testing

Returnee volunteer and CWB HIV lead for Uganda on the importance of testing.

Having HIV testing and counselling facilities available at our schools festivals (better re-named Test Days) is crucial if we are get across the importance of our T/Testing message effectively, And it can be difficult to arrange. Grace our contact at the UCA and I as the Uganda HIV lead for CWB had tried over the three months prior to our trip to arrange testing, but without success.

On Monday Grace, Adam and I followed up a lead of Grace’s at Arua Hospital, Lucy, who leads AIDS palliative care. We met at the hospital for a really useful discussion with Lucy expressing her keenness for the hospital to capitalise on this opportunity to test so many children in one go. We also met with the Deputy Administrator who asked us formally to write to the hospital specifying what support was required. We sent a letter overnight to him and his superior asking for the hospital’s support. We had also visited the local Red Cross at the suggestion of the hospital and asked them to provide blood donation facilities at the Test Day to boost the hospital’s blood bank. The Red Cross were happy to do this, and in addition to provide first aid cover.

Today we followed up the letter with a meeting with the Senior Administrator who welcomed our initiative and expressed the desire to work together provided we could support the staff involved in some way. We agreed to underwrite their lunch costs, and look forward to tomorrow having a one stop, one tent, facility providing HIV testing, counselling, blood donation and first aid. And to working with a really valuable partner in the future.