The Bank South Pacific (BSP) made their annual generous donation of K 50 000 to support the ongoing work of Anglicare PNG. Over the years BSP has stood with Anglicare by supporting what they do in the communities. On behalf of the Anglicare Foundation, Corporate Manager Collin Andamale thank the Bank South Pacific for this timely donation.
With the funding from BSP, It will be used to set a;
- Food Bank/Baskets
Anglicare PNG will set-up its own Food Bank and Storage facilities. This is in line with what the World Health Organisation (WHO) also recommends, the provision of food baskets at the start of ART to combat the excessive hunger that people with HIV, especially those initiating treatment, can experience.
Anglicare will make a substantial efforts to integrate food and nutritional support into its care package for people with HIV. Through the food Bank and storage facilities we can be able to provide nutritious meal for our beneficiaries.
Anglicare National Director Heni Meke said that, Anglicare has substantial evidence that, while rapid scale-up of access to ART is a positive thing, starting patients on ART without ensuring full adherence through an adequate nutritional support system is likely to lead to treatment failure. Evidence suggests that people who receive food supplements recover faster than those who do not so ART access must therefore be just one component in a comprehensive package of care for people with HIV that includes nutritional support.
She also said that, our clients have greater nutritional needs, because their bodies are fighting to reduce their concentration of HIV virus; but HIV and inadequate nutrition reinforce one another in many other ways. When symptomatic, HIV causes food insecurity by making people feel ill and weak, and less able to work to get food. In turn, a lack of adequate nutrition can significantly worsen the health and quality of life of patients. Many lose weight because of chronic ill health – especially if they are co-infected with tuberculosis (TB), a common condition and the greatest killer of HIV-positive people.
Therefore Anglicare PNG has realign this strategy as part of HIV/AIDs program under Client Services Unit that will include nutrition in HIV treatment and care programs.
We thank you Bank of South Pacific for the generous donation.