Summaries of HIV/AIDS Projects in Africa
Working with ELCA World Hunger Program Partners

Madagascar—AIDS Prevention and Health Care Program.

Partners: ELCA and Malagasy Lutheran Church.

DESCRIPTION:

In September 1994, a long-term component primary health care project was started among the rural people of Madagascar. This new endeavor, called “Fahasalamana aty Avaratra (FAV) or “Health up here in the North”, is a collaborative effort of the Malagasy Lutheran Church, the Antakarana kingdom, and the Division of Global Mission.

The ultimate target population of the project is the approximately 4000,000 people (18 percent under the age of five) living in the four fivondronana of North Madagascar: Antsiranana II, Ambilobe, Amganja, and Vohemar. The region is rural with very difficult roads and limited accessibility during the rainy season (Dec.-Mar.). The people, who are largely Antakarana Muslim, live in unqualified poverty with limited access to primary health support, prenatal care, or curative medical facilities.

OBJECTIVES:

The project’s goal is to improve the health of the people, especially the children, living in the participating communities, thereby witnessing to Jesus Christ in word and deed. FAV addresses the whole community, but young children and their mothers are given special attention. Standard primary health care methods are used by the project with novel innovations in parasite control and the training and support of Family Health Agents in each participating household. The main objective remain:

• Immunization of at least 80 percent of the children 0-12 months old with DPT, polio, BCG, and measles, and tetanus for women 15-44 years old.

• Reduce child mortality due to malaria.

• Reduce the incidence and morbidity caused by diarrhea.

• Reduce the level of maternal mortality at child birth.

• Increase the knowledge of birth spacing and family planning methods.

• Train Family Health Agents for at least 50 percent of the households.

• Improve the availability of essential drugs, and encourage the continued use of efficacious local plant medicines.

• Reduce the incidence and morbidity of sexually transmitted diseases and increase the awareness of the eventual spread of AIDS.

During 1996, the Primary Health Care (PHC) Stations at Ampanansina, Adranoemena, and Siranana became functional with full-time, resident nurses. Each PHC Station theoretically serves 5,000 people, with a majority of the population being Antakarana Muslim. The communities are all rural where health services were previously unavailable.

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