Medical Camp

We managed to get in touch with the local AAR emergency medical centre and they volunteered to come to Olives for a day of free medical care for the whole village including consultation, treatment, counselling and most ambitious of all-free on the spot HIV testing. The local villagers were shy to come at first but Mr Joseph got on his megaphone and blared welcome messages throughout the village as the kids persuaded their parents to come along.
The day started at 8am and went on til 5.30. I got there at around 2pm to find the schoolyard full of people waiting patiently as AAR staff and offered diagnoses, prepared medicine, performed HIV tests and counselled those whose results were positive. The volunteers slotted in where needed: filling in paperwork, dispensing drugs, entertaining the scores of children milling around bored. I read stories and amused the whingy toddlers while their parents went for their HIV tests. I went for one myself and it was really nervewrecking waiting to see if the test would show one line for negative or two for positive. It must be terrifying for someone who suspects they might be positive.
We got through about 400 people that day and AAR have promised to come again. Thats 400 people getting treatment they could never otherwise afford. For me the most encouraging thing was that most people went for the HIV tests, despite the fact that their neighbours and friends were all within earshot. In a country where AIDS is still stigmatised to the point of possible ostracisation, thats a huge step. It was one of those days where change doesnt seem so impossible after all. :)

HIV Counselling session