History of Kitovu Mobile
1987
Kitovu Mobile, a faith based organization, was started by the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM) as a response to the needs of HIV and AIDS patients who were opting to be cared for within the confines of their home areas. The Home Based Care (HBC) was the first programme established. Originally, the program visited patients in their homes to provide care services and later formed centers so that many patients could be seen in one place. There were 111 outreach centers providing treatment for 5,500 clients for opportunistic infections, counseling, HIV Testing, medical and social support.
1988
The training program was created; and support for orphans and their families started (education, housing, necessities, IGAs etc). Starting with 250 orphans, the number rose to 8000 orphans by 1997. This comprehensive orphans’ support ended after the Universal Primary Education (UPE) was introduced.
1998
KM also opened the four year Mobile Farm Schools for school dropouts. To date 31 sub counties have been covered.
2000
Palliative care, using the WHO Pain Relief ladder, was introduced as a component of Home based care for many PLHIV and Cancer patients and their families.
2002
Trauma counselling was started to alleviate the suffering of traumatized children and to enable AIDS orphans and their guardians to express grief. In 2006 the project was scaled up until 2016 when it phased out.
2004
Kitovu Mobile partnered with the Ministry of Health, Uganda Cares, and MRC to provide free antiretroviral treatment (ART) to eligible clients.
2006
Project targeting grandmothers who experience multiple sufferings as a result of many external factors such as, HIV and AIDS pandemic, grief, isolation, trauma and burden of caring for many grandchildren/orphans was initiated.
2009
The Beyond ART agricultural component was integrated into the Home based Care to encourage clients to look for creative ways of empowering themselves for economic independence.
2013
KM transferred 1500 PLHIV who were in 111 outreaches to the already accredited government health facilities for continued HIV care. Today, Kitovu Mobile maintains a static medical static center III, providing HIV and AIDS/TB services, palliative care services, Cancer prevention and screening services and general health care services at its premises.
2016
The number of years the mobile farm school course runs reduced from 4 to 3 years which was found to be relatively enough for the vulnerable youth to become self-reliant and this has enabled a wider reach.
2016
The counselling and training Program, moved from direct implementation of the trauma project to capacity building of 720 teachers, 180 community leaders, child rights advocates to provide psychosocial support, education for life skills.
2018
The donor funding priorities changed significantly; long term funding partners – CAFOD, partner for over 30 years, and KNH phased out the psychosocial support (after 15 years)
Find more details about Kitovu Mobile here: http://www.kitovumobile.com/