N’Gombe Outreach Clinic

Tiny Tim and Friends recently held a series of outreach clinics at N’Gombe Compound in Zambia.  Overall approximately 200 children and 50 adults were tested.

Waiting to be tested

N’Gombe is one of the poorest slums in Lusaka.  It lacks city planning, sewage, proper roads, and any infrastructure what so ever.  The wells are far apart so people have long walk just to have water and both unemployment and alcoholism rates are very high.  But despite these circumstances the community exudes a  sense of welcoming and charm.

TTF Outreach Team testing

Approximately one-third of those tested were positive.  Rates are highest amongst adults which mostly likely is caused by sexually active adults having more recent and numerous encounters with the virus.  The children tested were also mainly above 5 years old (95% of children born with HIV die before 5 if they don’t get ARVs).

Of those that tested positive at this outreach clinic, there was nearly a 100% follow up rate to medical care.  In addition TTF was able to make important inroads into this community thanks to volunteer Erin Crotty and her hard work.