HAI’s Côte d’Ivoire Project in the News
The Seattle Times interviewed HAI's Ahoua Koné about how the violence in Côte d'Ivoire is affecting those who need care for HIV/AIDS.
More than 1 million people have fled their homes and many are turning up at the regional clinics.
But the influx of patients comes at a time shipments of drugs used to treat HIV and other diseases have been choked off by fighting and trade sanctions, Kone said.
Power outages, seemingly orchestrated by Gbagbo's government, have crippled medical care.
"Hospitals cannot function properly," Kone said. "Pharmacies and laboratories for examinations and testing of samples cannot function."
Sample testing is crucial to diagnose HIV in pregnant women, prevent mother-to-child transmission and quickly treat babies born with the virus. HAI staff have risked their lives to transport specimens to towns where labs are operational, Kone said.
"The staff are so committed to serving the people that they stayed and did whatever necessary."
Read the full article, or read past posts on how the situation in Côte d'Ivoire has been developing and what our team there has been doing to ensure people living with HIV continue to receive medications.
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