Addressing Lesotho’s HIV/AIDS epidemic requires more than simply providing quality care when patients visit one of our clinics. It also requires a proactive outreach program involving both our patients and government clinics.

Patients who miss clinic appointments and fail to return for care are traced using a combination of phone calls and physical visits to their homes by a team of nurses, social workers and trained volunteers. Over the last year, nearly 2,000 patients were called or visited to ensure retention in care. This resulted in dramatic reductions in patients who are lost from care and therefore receive inadequate treatment. The volunteers also visit households affected by TB to find additional cases.

BCMCF-L continues to be a key partner in national scale-up and decentralization of pediatric HIV care, treatment, and support. With ongoing funding through PEPFAR and its partners, comprehensive support for pediatric and adolescent HIV clinical care and psychosocial services has been provided to hospitals and health centres across the nation. Physicians, nurses, psychologists, counselors, pharmacists, and nutritionists are all involved in providing direct care and consultation and in building capacity of the health system.