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HIV-AIDS Clinics in Africa

Since 2002 Blessings International has provided pharmaceuticals for Mashiah Foundation (MF) which operates a clinic in Jos, Nigeria that provides out-patient medical services to HIV/AIDS patients and their immediate families. MF not only addresses all the medical needs of HIV/AIDS patients and their families, but MF addresses their spiritual needs, supplies food if needed as well as addressing problems such as social stigmatization which all AIDS patients face in Africa. In addition the Bayo Oyebade, Director of MF, spends most of his time in HIV/AIDS prevention, giving lectures in schools, churches, and other public places, as well as teaching and encouraging young people to live lives avoiding risky sexual behavior by developing youth clubs where young people can have a good time together in an atmosphere that is free of a common expectation of sexual performance.

MF is a fine example of a nationally run and directed Christian organization that provides comprehensive services for prevention and care of victims of HIV/AIDS. But like many ministries in Africa, it is run on a shoestring budget with which it employs a staff of 5 including a full-time physician and pharmacist. The two greatest cost other than personnel are the cost of printed literature for HIV/AIDS prevention and pharmaceuticals. Blessings International wants to see MF reproduced all over Africa. But to do so, BI must help increase the capacity of MF. At present, MF provides only non-antiretroviral medicines for people living with HIV/AIDS, in other words, all medicines needed to treat the common infectious diseases that typically are the common cause of death in HIV/AIDS patients: tuberculoses, malaria, pneumonia, and fungal diseases as well as medicines for other chronic health problems, including diabetes, hypertension, asthma, arthritis, and gastric reflux. Blessings would like to assist MF make to quantum leap in treatment to provide the anti-retroviral medicines that would directly combat the HIV virus. However this will require additional staff to perform studies to document that MFs present program is effective for presentation other major funding bodies. Blessings International intends to help MF accomplish this by providing the means to document and track pharmaceutical use to the patient level and by providing all the needed non-antiretroviral drug needs of the clinic. With the funds that would other wise be used for purchase of pharmaceuticals MF will have the resources to perform the needed studies to enable them to qualify for major funding.

As a Christian organization and as individuals, we cannot afford to ignore this horrible situation that is growing in Africa. There are now over 10 million HIV/AIDS orphans in Africa this number is growing rapidly. Blessings would like to provide assistance for national organizations like MF that would help care for these orphans by keeping them in the homes of other families, providing material assistance, and anti-retroviral medicines to the care givers if needed, and also to infected pregnant women so that they can care for their children as well as those of others who have died of AIDS. If we as Christians dont make a major effort to address these great needs, I believe that the Lord will hold us accountable. If we dont commit to such efforts, terrorist will gain control of these orphans and train them as an army of terrorist!

Providing pharmaceuticals and other resources for HIV/AIDS clinics in Africa is a long-term effort. Blessings International needs serious funding itself to expand these efforts. We would greatly appreciate your prayerful consideration to for your generous support of mission effort both in prayer and financially. Thank you!