Makete District has suffered from the HIV pandemic very heavily for many years.

Consolata Hospital Ikonda has served the people of the District since 1963. The hospital has dealt with patients suffering from HIV-related diseases for almost two decades but until recently there was no facility to deal with HIV infection.

On the 1st of December 2004, a Care and Treatment Center (CTC) was started at Ikonda Hospital with a medical doctor in residence who had 5 years experience in HIV treatment in Uganda. We began with two counselors', two nurses and one receptionist.

The CTC has seven rooms that are well equipped and is open daily.

Ikonda Hospital also has a Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) department with nine trained workers.

There are also a number of Home Based Care officers working from Ikonda.

The Hospital's laboratory is able to examine all specimens required for HIV care and treatment.

At the beginning of June 2005, there were 415 patients registered with the Ikonda CTC with 75 already on ARVs.

Of the patients tested for PMTCT to date, 56 were positive out of 308.

Our HBC officers currently care for 25 patients from Ikonda, Tandala and Ihela.

The Hospital is also focusing on HIV related problems through its remote Health units, preparing training activities for health unit with their workers and local representatives with two experienced nurses.

To help control the spread of the disease, Ikonda Hospital has been teaching Health Education in local rural schools.

The burden caused by new HIV-AIDS programming is causing severe stress to the financial and human resources of the Hospital.

Dr. Gerold Jaeger
Consolata Hospital Ikonda