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This study focused on assessing significant contributions of peer educators/ expert clients in reducing loss of follow up of ART clients to minimize defaulters in Mbeya city council, Tanzania. Specifically the study aimed determining level of contributions of expert clients/Peer educators to minimize defaulters of ARV users from ART treatments, to investigate the perception/feeling of client’s and to explore challenges facing ARV users that lead to drop- from the ART treatments continuum their care takers and service providers on reducing/ minimizing defaulters of ARV users
The study adopted cross-sectional study design where by primary data were collected using, focus group discussions, interview, questionnaire and observation methods and secondary data were obtained from reviewed related literatures and facility reports. The study involved 63 respondents from Mbeya city CTC health facilities (Ruanda Health center, Igawilo City Hospital, Mbeya Regional Hospital, Mbeya referral Hospital and Iyunga Health center) who included peer educators/ Expert clients, ARV users and care takers/ relatives of ARV users who were randomly selected and the CTC service providers who were purposively selected.
The findings from collected data were both quantitatively and qualitatively analysed and presented accordingly.
Overall, findings that (54) peer educators (86%) were used to enrol fellow ARV users in self-help groups as part of their significant contributions, (22)35% of the respondents agreed that peer educators were capable in provision of post counselling to ARV users when organizing home visiting, (55), 87% of beneficiaries they concurred with the effort to use Phone SMS as quick remainder to ARV users to take their medication. 97% (61) of respondents recommend that peer educator/ expert clients were capable in provision of advice to ARV users to initiate vegetable home gardens as source of income and nutritional supplements for their health and family
In the right of the study results, it is concluded that Peer educators/ Expert client were doing better job and they have significant contributions on all aspects of reducing/ minimizing defaulters of ARV users. |
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