SIM Canada - Program 2008-2012

Results achieved as of the end of the project (September 2013) include: In Niger (i) there has been a consistent increase in voluntary HIV testing and counselling at the partner hospital including a 36% increase in the number of pregnant women tested for HIV in order to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV; and (ii) 14 044 blood donors were tested for HIV 295 of them were found to be HIV positive and were given counselling and treatment. In Ethiopia (i) mobile testing for HIV was introduced in response to local requests to provide services to hard-to-reach populations thereby increasing the community reach of the program; and (ii) home-based care programs were established to provide medical nutritional and educational support to HIV-positive patients and their families with an annual average of 92 patients in Addis Ababa and over 188 in Shashemene. These results contributed to increasing care and quality of life for HIV-infected individuals and their families reducing risks of HIV transmission in communities through greater knowledge and increasing access to prevention tools enabling safe practices.