Shortage of chemicals: hospitals refuse to test blood samples

The hospital and clinics have been refusing to retest follow-up blood samples from our patients. There is just no funding throughout the country to purchase the reagents (chemicals) used to analyze the samples which leaves us in a very serious predicament.

Once one of our patients has tested positive for HIV, their CD4 (white blood cell) count is measured and has to be below a certain level before they can get the free ARV treatments from the government. If the CD4 count is higher than the threshold, then the patient is retested in a couple months to see what their count is. Also, once a patient has been initiated on ARV's, retesting is done periodically to determine the effectiveness of the treatments.

Without the ability to send in the blood samples to be tested, we aren't able to get our patients initiated on life saving ARV's in a timely fashion (if at all) which means that the HIV virus will continue to multiply and spread throughout the body eventually turning into AIDS. We have seen more and more people in the communities come forward, willing to find out their status and get initiated onto ARV's if tested positive. Now we can no longer provide the testing, unless there is funding in place to provide the hospital, mainly Good Shepherd Hospital (GSH), with the necessary supply of reagents.

This shortage concerns us greatly, especially considering the children (HIV+) who tend to get sick more quickly and often fatally without being on ARV's. It would cost about $1,500 per month to supply Good Shepherd with enough reagents and Daran and Teresa, Chips Directors, are raising money to give to GSH.

Can you pray with us, first and foremost, that God would provide all the supplies/monies needed for this urgent and on-going need. Also, if you are interested in helping financially with this need please contact us at piggwr4647[at]aol[dot]com and we will direct you to Daran and Teresa. We know that God cares deeply for  the poor and the needy and know that He can do things that are impossible in our eyes.


P.S. - If you want to support our ministry, the fastest way is to make an Online Donation via www.WorldOutreach.org
Go to "Donate" and select our name, Stephens, Ian and Jenn SWAZILAND. The system can process USA and International cards.
Or simply mail your gift to World Outreach Ministries, PO Box B, Marietta, GA 30061 and designate for Ian and Jenn, Fund Code #97.