Moonlight HIV/AIDS Clinic

“In the darkness of the HIV/AIDS crisis, antiretroviral drugs are the moonlight to get us through, which is where the name Moonlight Clinic comes from.” –Martin Banda, Assistant for the Health Center, July 2008

The idea for the Moonlight Clinic was conceived by Martin Banda, Medical Assistant at the local Health Center and representative of the community. The District Hospital and the local community had been looking to expand the Health Center and upgrade it to a Rural Hospital, in order to offer more services locally instead of referring patients to the nearest hospital, 45 kilometers away.

A major step towards the upgrade is the construction of a new HIV/AIDS clinic and a new maternity ward. Today the 2200 square foot Community Health Center is already over-crowded, serving 40,000 people from surrounding villages. HIV/AIDS is one of the largest health problems facing the communities in this area. Moonlight Clinic will offer volunteer counseling and testing for HIV, Antiretroviral drug distribution for AIDS patients, HIV/AIDS education for youth, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and STD screening.

After the initial discussions concerning the Moonlight Clinic, people from many villages came—both day and night—to show their support for the project. The community has agreed to contribute land, burnt bricks, hoes, wheelbarrows and transport of water and sand for cement. The Moonlight Clinic is not only something the community needs, but something they want and support fully. They are excited to be involved in the improvement of their own community.