Palliative care is a crucial component of the holistic approach necessary to care for people living with HIV/AIDS and other
life-limiting illnesses, yet both hospital and home-based palliative services are extremely limited in
Tanzania.
Since 2007, AIHA partners at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania’s Pare Diocese and an
Iowa-based consortium led by Empower Tanzania have been working to change that.
Partners are training both medical and non-medical workers to provide high quality care and support. They have to date trained some 300 Community Health Workers at 10 target sites in Same and Mwanga Districts; these caregivers routinely conduct home visits with patients.
In addition, they have trained 10 Sustaining Trainers/Clinical Supervisors, who provide complementary services, as well as oversight for the Community Health Workers affiliated with their respective sites.
Partners also established a Patient Support and Care Center, which assists in centralizing information and resources, as well as provides continuous, sustainable training opportunities for Community Health Workers.
Updated November 15, 2011
.gif)
