Touch Namuwongo is an IMF project that was established in 2008, with the initial aim of reducing TB & HIV related mortality and morbidity in the urban slums of Makindye Division, Kampala, through improved access to essential TB and HIV/AIDS information, prevention, testing and treatment services. The project targets the general population, as well as other key populations, such as the commercial sex workers, boda-boda cyclists, youth – both in school and out of school, plus fishermen. The project scope has now been expanded, based on a sustainable community empowerment model, so as to empower communities to take control of their lives through planning, savings and income generation, as well as covering health education, treatment and prevention services to people living with HIV/AIDS and TB, thus preventing further spread of HIV/AIDS in the community. To achieve this, Touch Namuwongo activities include:
- Community outreaches with village health teams at the community level (average of 300 people tested or treated per outreach)
o Distribution of condoms: 5,000 condoms distributed at each outreach
o Treatment of common diseases, health education, HIV counselling and testing, TB screening and treatment, health promotion, anti-retro viral therapy, STI screening and treatment, elimination of mother to child transmission, as well as providing psychosocial support to the family members of affected individuals
o Distribution of drugs at no charge at the outreach
o Ongoing edutainment performances during the outreach, addressing issues of planning, sex, education, savings and self-empowerment
- Outreach follow ups through clinic appointments at the Touch Namuwongo Clinic at International Hospital, Kampala
- Clinical care for HIV positive clients, with ART, taking care of 1,500 clients
- Home based care for HIV/TB patients
