TB/HIV Care at the 5th SA AIDS Conference
14th June 2011
ACSM Co-ordinator, Desiree Schouw, explains the symptoms of TB
to a booth visitor at the 5th HIV Conference.
TB/HIV Care Association sent a delegation of participants to the biennial 5th SA AIDS Conference from the 7th to the 10th of June in Durban to present two papers and two posters, and to gain insights into the latest clinical and health system research.
TB/HIV Care contributed to the knowledge shared during the congress through showcasing the insights gained in implementing a variety of innovative TB and HIV services. KZN Site Manager, Jenny Mcloughlin, presented the lessons learnt from the implementation of isoniazid preventative therapy (IPT) in the district of Sisonke. Nurse Mentor, Francis Prinsloo, presented a paper on the initiation of ART to patients co-infected with TB and HIV. TB/HIV Care’s Director, Prof Harry Hausler, submitted a poster on the work that TB/HIV Care does, and was also a key speaker at a WHO session exploring the implementation of the three “i’s” of TB prevention; intensified case-finding, isoniazid preventative treatment and infection control. Jeannine Uwimana, a Phd candidate performing her research in collaboration with TB/HIV Care, presented a poster on her work up-skilling community care workers to provide TB/HIV/PMTCT comprehensive care in the Sisonke District of KwaZulu-Natal.
Attending the conference had numerous other benefits for the TB/HIV Care delegates, among them; access to cutting-edge research findings and important exposure for the organisation in the exhibition area. The TB/HIV Care booth, which was subsidized by the conference organisers, Dira Sengwe, had a steady stream of visitors throughout the four days of the conference. Conference delegates were particularly intrigued by the branded tissues promoting infection control with the message “TB is an issue, use a tissue!”. Posters showing the signs and symptoms of TB also attracted a lot of interest and were often requested by people working in the field of health education.
One of the less obvious benefits of attending the conference was the opportunity to meet TB/HIV Care colleagues working in different parts of the country. Networking with colleagues meant that common challenges could be identified and solutions could be shared. These informal conversations led to a greater understanding of the situations in different provinces. As a whole, the 5th SA AIDS Conference was a wonderful learning experience for TB/HIV Care Association as an organisation.
References:
TB/HIV Care Association, www.tbhivcare.org, 021 425 0050
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