The Integration of TB In Education & Care for HIV/AIDS (iTEACH) Program has been based at Edendale Ho spital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa since 2005 and is actively engaged in initiatives to improve delivery of HIV and TB Care and treatment in the public health sector. This is accomplished through close partnership with the KZN Department of Health, along with key stakeholders in the community. All initiatives implemented by iTEACH are accessed for feasibility and efficacy to creatte models that can be replicated and scaled-up in other similar high-burden and chalenged settings.

READ: "Cutting in on the AIDS-TB Dance; iTEACH seeks to raise treatment standards, awareness"

Read a vivid description written by Alvin Powel from the Harvard news office, about iTEACH's home base at Edendale Hospital. This story manages to capture the feel of this setting and give you a glimpse of what it is like at the heart of the HIV and TB co-crisis. (to read the story in its original source on the Harvard world media website, click here.)

WATCH: Edendale Hospital in KZN, South Africa

Watch a quick video and see what it looks like at Edendale - hear about the TB crisis from a nurse on the wards, an iTEACH staff member and a visiting MGH residents and medical student. (to see the video in its original source on the Harvard world media website, click here.)

MISSION

To decrease mortality from HIV and TB in South Africa

THE IDEA

Introduce practical solutions to enable scale-up of HIV & TB testing and treatment success in the public health sector

IMPACT

  • Assisted with scale-up of patients on ARV from 3000 to over 11,000, making Edendale the largest government treatment site in SA
  • Created effective linkage between centralized hospital and 17 refferal clinics within the 800,000 person catchment
  • Trained staff at all 17 community clinics to provide pre-ARV patients adherence course, eliminating need for costly travel
  • Introduced a clinic-to-hospital patient up-refferal system for ARVs that resulted in elimination of patient waiting list
  • Delivered intensive HIV & TB training to over 1500 health care professionals & community health workers
  • Engaged a network of 300 local Traditional Healers commited to support HIV & TB care
  • Arranged the first HIV counselor certification course to be delivered in isisZulu, to enable Traditional Healers to be integrated into HIV services
Modeling innovation for HIV & TB care that saves lives.