The TANWAT Company Hospital's HIV/AIDS programme started in 1996, and aimed at HIV prevention through Peer Health Educators (PHE).

At that time the programme focused on company workers and their dependants. In 2000, the programme extended to the 17 villages surrounding the company. The programme has 19 co-ordinator and 66 PHE. That's a total of 85 educators. This programme has been very successful with much enhanced awareness and openness among workers and community residents on health issues related to STIs and HIV.

The TANWAT programme grew to include the following activities

1. Prevention Education through Peer Health Educators
2. VCT- Voluntary Counselling and Testing
3. HBC  (Home Based Care)
4. Treatment of STIs

TANWAT Company Hospital added an HIV-AIDS Care and Treatment Centre (CTC), including CD4 count testing and anti-retroviral drugs, to its existing programmes of outreach, education and HIV Voluntary Counselling and Testing in April 2006.

Under the leadership of TANWAT Medical Director Dr. Francis Masanje and TANWAT AIDS expert Betty Liduke , TANWAT has implemented a program of sustainable service provision to patients from the 19 villages that the hospital serves.

The cumulative number of clients enrolled at the TANWAT CTC at the end of November 2006 was:
MALE ADULTS (15+) = 29
FEMALE ADULTS (15+) = 63
CHILDREN (0-14) = 15

TOTAL = 107

On anti-retroviral therapy:
MALE ADULTS (15+) = 15
FEMALE ADULTS (15+) = 32
CHILDREN ( 0-14) = 4
TOTAL = 51

ART eleigible but not yet on ART:
MALE ADULTS (15+) = 4
FEMALE ADULT (15+) = 8
CHILDREN (0-14) = 3
TOTAL = 15

TANWAT looks forward to continuing success but has underlined the need for official recognition and support for CTCs that demonstrate sustainable performance and service excellence.