Official Launch of HOPE to Home
It was with great excitement that we were able to officially launch HOPE Cape Town’s new project called “HOPE to Home” which is based in Tygerberg Hospital this week after the weekly Tygerberg Paediatric doctors meeting.
The launch followed on an 18 month trial phase.
Approximately 40 Paediatric doctors were present including consultants, registrars, medical officers and interns. Four nursing sisters were also able to join us for a cup of coffee, a muffin and a short talk on HOPE to Home.
HOPE to Home aims to augment the paediatric services already provided by the hospital with additional counselling, liaising between the hospital structures and the community clinics and practical support. Our focus is on children who are HIV positive and those infected with TB. We have identified a need in these children for extra support for both the care givers and the children themselves in terms of understanding their disease, the importance of their medication and the need for a smooth, uninterrupted transition back into the community in order to maintain good adherence and retention in care.
The HOPE to Home team comprising of Sonia, Mariam and a medical doctor, work from an office in G7 and encourage Tygerberg doctors and nurses to refer children to the project by means of a short, simple referral form. Once the child/caregiver has been seen and helped in whatever way is necessary, a feedback form will be placed in the child’s file informing the team as to what has been done.
We look forward to many years of being a useful service to Tygerberg Hospital and the surrounding communities in helping HIV +ve children successfully adhere to their treatment programme and to retain them in the correct cascade of care
