Subtle Health Rationing

Whiteside was gloomy about the future of Swaziland's AIDS response "now that the money's running dry".

"I think it means that we'll start rationing - it'll be a subtle form of rationing where we'll say we'll provide treatment in [the eastern provincial capital] Siteki and if you live 30km away you won't get treatment because you won't be able to get there; or, you used to have to wait four hours to see a doctor, now you have to wait 12 and some of you die in the queue," he said.

"We don't have the courage to ration in an explicit manner, so we will do it in an implicit manner."

Swaziland: Declining Customs Union Revenues Threaten Aids Response,16 November 2010

There was some shock registered as I read this. Maphiveni is 50km from Siteki. The CHIPS programme was developed because effectively, the people in this impoverished community were already being denied access to care at Good Shepherd Hospital in Siteki only because there was no way they could afford the transport to the hospital.
But to read a prognosis from one of the premier HIV/AIDS researchers here in southern Africa stating explicitly what would be the outcome of even further reductions in government support for combating HIV/AIDS was still a shock. The children, mothers and people of Maphiveni deserve better.
Please join us in praying for the funds to move ahead with a dedicated clinic in Maphiveni to serve the HIV population in this area.

Homeward Bound

We are beginning the process of planning for our (short) seven week trip back to the States: December 5 thru January 22. While we will be spending time with family and saying goodbye to Gabby, we would welcome the opportunity to share what we have been doing and our work going forward.

URGENT: understanding that this trip straddles the holidays, we would still welcome any opportunities to address groups (Bible studies, prayer groups, civic organizations, etc) over this period that would be interested in what is going on in Swaziland. We have been promised ‘frequent flyer’ miles so any trips off our scheduled itinerary are still possible.

We have made two recent posts to our blog that we would invite you to view:

CHIPS Clinic

and

CHIPS Children’s HIV Intervention in Swaziland

We have a vision for developing a holistic medical clinic in the Maphiveni area to proactively cater to the HIV+ children and caregivers in this area. In addition, to help address the long term poverty issues there, we want to begin developing a community center that will help empower the most vulnerable to provide for themselves and give them control of their lives thru micro finance and personal income generation projects (like making jams, harvesting moringa, quality handcrafts….).

God has been very good to us! By His grace we have survived many rough spots here over the past few years. We have been blessed to be able to join in prayer for requests from some of you in the States. Life can be challenging whether you are at home or in a foreign culture. We look forward to continue to work and minister in Swaziland with your prayers and support.

Blessings!

Daran & Teresa Rehmeyer

www.AfricanLeadershipPartners.org