From Canada Newswire website:
TORONTO, June 28, 2012 /CNW/ - The Primate's World Relief and
Development Fund (PWRDF) is undertaking, with the financial support of the
Government of Canada provided through the Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA), a health care project in South Africa. PWRDF
will contribute half a million dollars over five years towards the$2 million project
that will focus on preventing HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis among pregnant women in
the Ngqushwa district of the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
"This project will train village health workers to run education
programs in their communities about prevention of and care for people infected
and affected by HIV and AIDS and TB," said Adele Finney, Executive
Director of PWRDF. "The HIV infection rate in Ngqushwa district is 17.5%
in the general population, and a staggering 33-45% amongst pregnant
women. Those who are HIV positive in the region are at a greater risk of
contracting TB. The project will therefore encourage HIV and TB testing, especially
among child-bearing women and their partners. A family-centred approach
will improve the survival rate of infants and children, as well as their
mothers."
The program will reach about 30,000 people in the region, increasing
access by 43% to anti-retroviral drugs among children under 16, through the
South African government's HIV and AIDS Directorate. It will mobilize
communities to promote HIV and TB prevention, care, and testing, and provide
counseling to pregnant women and specialized training to government health
providers.
Over the five years of the program, HIV and TB infection rates will
decrease as awareness of and support for testing, prevention, and treatment
increase, especially among children in the region. The village health
workers recruited and trained by this program will promote HIV and AIDS
education, testing, early access to health care and treatment for patients
before they become chronically ill.
PWRDF has a 40 year working relationship with CIDA, and looks forward to
its continuing work with the Keiskamma Trust, the implementing partner in
Ngqushwa.
Image with caption: "An HIV+ mother and child visit Keiskamma Trust
for treatment and counseling. (CNW Group/The Primate's World Relief and
Development Fund)". Image available at:http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120628_C4932_PHOTO_EN_15819.jpg
For further information:
Zaida Bastos
CIDA Program Coordinator
zbastos@pwrdf.org
(416)924-9199x215
www.pwrdf.org
CIDA Program Coordinator
zbastos@pwrdf.org
(416)924-9199x215
www.pwrdf.org
