Page 22 - DIVA_2_2007_No.29

"I had to help"

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Rriedi Liitliy

"I could not bear sitting in ter Kuit Aesclibaclier. In addi- inatter of fact, only one nurse
tion all of tliein are ineinbers of and one laboratoi'y tecl'inician
my lovely home while hun-
tlie Srippoiting Board of tliis liave liad to be replaced as botli
dreds die of Aids in
foundation. or tl'iem einigrated to tlie UK.
Zimbabwe every day."
Tlie team is liiglily motivated
These were the thoughts of

In less tlian a year Dr. Lutliy and provides a liigl'i standard of
Professor Ruedi Liithy, the
managed to open tl'ie first clinic family ce+itred care, wliicli is
eminent Swiss HIV and in Harare acid to establisli care uniqrie for Ziinbabwe. The
Aids specialist. for over one thousand I:iatie+its. concept of a nurse-led diiiic,

He was also able to recniit and to wliicli was iiiitially inet with
InAfiica AIDS is the caise of ai'i ti'aiii a inedical staff to sr+ppoit considerable scepticis+'i'i fi'om tlie
i+nininei'it luunanitarian disaster. liiin in liis WOl'l( at tlie clinic. Miiiistiy of Healtli and Child
A countless munber of people Welfare, lias been accepted. We
are already infected witli HIV, Ruedi LGtliy rcports: "Since also provide o+i- tlie-job trai+iing
millions are dyiiig of Aids and Coi'uiaugl'it Clii'+ic was opened in for nurses and doctors fi'om per-
tragically inillions of cl'iildren Marcli 2004, it lias grown and iplieral hospitals on a regular
liave become oi'phans. It is tiine expanded and today it provides basis. Once a wcek, nurses pre-
for us to i-eacli orit to lielp. compreliensive care to al+'iiost sent diffictilt or illustrative cases
1100 HIV infected adult and to tlie entire medical teai'it to
Dr Rriedi Li'itliy was convinced paediah'ic patients. A teai'i'i of six ensure continuing inedical edu-
tliat lie was one wlio could liell:i. adult and paediatric nurses / catioi'i and rutifomiily of stan-
His goal was to set up ambulato- cou+isellors, two pliysicians are dard of care."
iyAids clinics iii Zinibabwe, one looking after tlie liatients, ii'i
of tlie poorest co+nh'ics iii tliis addition tliere are two pliannacy It is tlie aiin of Dr Liitliy to csta-

world and oi'ie with a liig1i mm'i- assistants and o+ie volunteer who blisli liis clinic as a centre of
ber of Aids patients. Swiss Aids prepares tlie paediatric doses. reference wlticli will tlien se+'ve
Care Intemational was created in Two tcchnicia+is iun tlie labora- as +nodel for otlier sites. Most of
2003 to support Dr Ruedi toiy and tlie ad+niiiistrative taslcs Dt Liitliy's ):iatients are not able
Ijitliy's project. Tliis foundation al'e CalTled Ollt bSl Olle nlanager, to pay for tlieir treatment. Tluis,
is e+idorsed by numeroris Swiss an IT specialist and two recep- one of tlie main fiindraising
dignitaries sucli as foriner tionists. Tlie entire staff, wiitli tl'ie objectives of Swiss Aids Care
Federal Miiiister Rrit)i Dreifuss, exception of tlie IT specialist, the International is to cover tlie costs
Dr Felix Gutzwiller, a pi-oininent plia+'+i'iacy volunteer and inyself of sucli patients.

meinber of Parliament, as well is made frown local people. Staff
as tlie fainous Swiss TV presei'i- nllllOVel' IlaS been lllmllllal, aS a Tlic treatment of cl'iildren lias

20 2 2007 Diva

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