A CHIPS Story

Simphiwe M. - 10 years old

Simphiwe has been on ARV’s since 2009.  Her health has always been frail.  In August 2010 she suffered a right stroke and was transported by CHIPS in a critical condition to Good Shepherd Hospital in Siteki.  She was in a coma for two weeks and spent an additional six weeks slowly recovering.  She is now able to walk and talk but it has left her with some deficits in learning and mobility.

CHIPS sustains Simphiwe through providing transport to the hospital for her ART Refills and doctors’ visits to GSH.  She has recently had a hearing screen because it was noted she was very hard of hearing; perhaps due to ART.

The long term future for her is uncertain as she is unable to attend government primary school:  it is a long distance to walk and she tires easily, she has fallen far behind the other children of her age.  Her hearing problems also make it difficult to attend school.  Her family are looking into the possibility of placing her in a special residential school here in Swaziland.

CHIPS makes regular visits to the homestead to encourage the family to continue the physiotherapy and to assess any new problems while offering encouragement and praying with them.

There are nine other children living at the homestead.  The father works as a casual labourer for the sugar corporation.

            Simphiwe M.'s CHIPS History

Visit Date	Site Name	Service Offered
20-Jul-09	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	HIV Test
30-Jul-09	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	Chemistry
19-Aug-09	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Initiation
25-Aug-09	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Initiation
09-Sep-09	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
23-Sep-09	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
21-Oct-09	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
18-Nov-09	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
16-Dec-09	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill, CD4
10-Feb-10	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
07-Apr-10	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
05-May-10	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
30-Jun-10	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
12-Aug-10	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	CD4
25-Aug-10	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
20-Oct-10	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
13-Dec-10	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
12-Jan-11	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	CD4
09-Feb-11	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
10-Feb-11	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
10-Mar-11	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
07-Apr-11	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill
04-May-11	Good Shepherd ART Clinic	ART Refill