Development of nutritional guidelines
and training of health workers on nutrition and HIV/Aids
INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBLEM
Healthy nutrition is important
for everybody, especially for people living with HIV/AIDS
(PLWHA’s). Healthy eating means eating a variety
of foods providing an appropriate amount of energy and
nutrients for the body. The body’s needs for energy
and nutrients increases in case of sickness. Therefore,
PLWHA’s need to pay extra attention to their diet
in order to keep their weight at a proper level and
to help strengthen the body and fight against infection.
For the majority of PLWHA’s
including AIDS orphans in Ghana, it is not possible
to eat an appropriate diet that would prevent weight
loss and strengthen their immune system. They are faced
with different kind of problems, which makes eating
difficult. These problems include reduced food intake
caused by their medical condition (lack of appetite,
nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fungal infections etc.),
poverty, stigmatization and inadequate information on
nutrition in relation to HIV/AIDS.
Nutritional support adjusted to the nutritional, medical,
financial and socio-cultural situation can help prevent
weight loss, improve well being and contribute to the
quality of life.
THE AIM OF THE PROJECT
The development of a nutritional
guideline specifically for (marginalized) people living
with HIV/AIDS in (the three Northern Regions of) Ghana
adjusted to their nutritional, medical, economical and
socio-cultural situation. This would be followed by
the training of PLWHA’s, their caregivers and particularly
health workers on the use of the nutritional guidelines
as part of the treatment of PLWHA’s and AIDS orphans.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
1. To come out with cost-effective
healthy diet according to the requirements for PLWHA’s
in Ghana.
2. To come out with practical
dietary advises for the food related complaints caused
by the disease (weight loss, lack of appetite, nausea
and vomiting, diarrhea, fungal infections etc.)
3. To analyze the composition
of local food items and to examine the benefits of these
items on the nutritional status of PLWHA’s.
4. To inquire the economical
and socio-cultural situation of PLWHA’s in especially
the three Northern Regions of Ghana .
5. To develop a guideline for
nutritional treatment for PLWHA’s in Ghana (especially
the three Northern Regions) based on objective 1, 2,
3 and 4.
6. To educate health workers
on the importance and the content of nutritional support
as part of the treatment and care of PLWHA’s including
malnourished AIDS orphans.
7. To educate PLWHA’s and
their care givers on the content of a healthy diet in
relation to HIV/AIDS.
PLAN OF ACTIVITIES AND TIME
SCHEDULE
1.
januari – februari 2004
Development of the draft
guideline based on:
• Information obtained
from the pre survey period (August/December 2003):
-Theoretical research on
Ghanaian food pattern, eating habits and nutrition
in relation to HIV/AIDS
- Finding from dietary consultations of PLWHA’s
at the out and in patient department of the International
Health Care Centre in Accra and home visits
- Interviews with key informants.
• Observations and interviews
during visits to the Upper West Region2.
2.
februari 2004
Organizing a focus group
discussion
• Solicit feedback on the content of the draft
guideline from community members and key informants
and adapt the draft to their suggestions.
Dissemination workshop
• Evaluation of the draft
guideline with stakeholders.
3.
march – june 2004
Trial period
• Guideline will be put
into practice during a four months trial in Wa, Lawra
and Nandom in the Upper West Region among the members
of the three associations for PLWHA’s (Shalome
1, Shalome 2, Shalome 3).
- group meetings on monthly
basis for shalome 1,2, and 3.
- individual dietary counseling for twenty ( 15
adults / 5 children) members of shalome 1 every
two weeks and monitoring the changes in nutritional
and medical status.
- individual dietary counseling for ten members
of shalome 2 (7 adults / 3 children) once a month
and monitoring the changes in nutritional and medical
status.
- individual dietary counseling for ten members
of shalome 3 (7 adults / 3 children) once a month
and monitoring the changes in nutritional and medical
status.
• Interviews and observation
of food preparation and the socio-cultural norms during
home visits.
In total twelve home visits will be done; eight members
of shalome 1, two members of shalome 2 and two members
of shalome 3 .
• Visits to the market
of Wa, Lawra and Nandom and observe the availability
of the various food items and to analyze the content
and the cost.
• Interviews with key
informants.
4.
july 2004
Development of the final
version of the guideline based on:
• Findings of the trial
period.
• Additional information
given by literature and key informants
Development of a training
schedule for activity 6 and 7
5.
august-september 2004
Publishing the guideline
• Designing the lay-out
of the guideline
• Producing the cost-effective
guideline
6.
october 2004
Training of health workers
of care and treatment facilities
• Organizing training
workshops for health workers of care and treatment
facilities for PLWHA’s and AIDS orphans on the
importance of nutritional support and the implementation
of the guideline.
In total four training workshop will be given; one
in the Upper West, one in the Upper East, one in the
Northern Region and one in Greater Accra. Each workshop
consists of three training days.
7.
november 2004
Training of PLWHA’s
and their care givers
• Organizing a training
on healthy nutrition and HIV/AIDS for PLWHA’s
and their care givers according to the content of
the guideline.
In total nine trainings will be given, three trainings
in the Upper West, three in the Upper East, three
in the Northern, and three in the Greater Accra regions.
Supervision of the implementation
of the guideline by health workers
• Visiting health care
facilities for PLWHA’s and AIDS orphans and supervise
the use of the guidelines by the health workers.
In total nine health care facilities will be visited;
three locations in the Upper West, three locations
in the Upper East, three locations in the Northern
Region while three locations will be in the Greater
Accra region.
8.
december 2004
Final release of the
guideline to public december 2004
OVERVIEW OF THE EXPECTED INDEX
OF THE GUIDELINE
Introduction
Nutrition and HIV/AIDS
Composition of a healthy diet
Prevention and treatment of weight loss
Loss of appetite
Sore mouth and throat
Changed taste perception
Diarrhea
Nausea and vomiting
Hygiene
Food mixtures and recipes
Food supplements
Best eating habits that promotes good health
Examples of day menu’s on low budget
Further information
MORE INFORMATION
If you are interested in the
results of this project and/or you have any questions,
recommendations or other useful information, do not
hesitate to contact me using the contact form (see link
on the right).
Also, if you are interested in
the cost estimations of this project, sponsoring or
other financial backgrounds, please contact me at the
above email address.
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