EPN is convinced that religious leaders have a key role to play to educate and support their communities in regards to HIV treatment issues. After conducting starting points analysis research to gauge the level of understanding of church leaders and Church Health Services (CHSs) to HIV/AIDS treatment literacy, EPN recognized a need to conduct HIV and AIDS treatment literacy workshops for church leaders.

The first treatment literacy workshop, which was convened in collaboration with the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in Africa (EHAIA), was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 23rd – 27th January 2006. The objective of the workshop was to enhance the knowledge and capacity of church leaders in Africa to deal with HIV and AIDS treatment, related organizational management issues as well as the challenges of making the HIV and AIDS drugs available through the church networks.The workshop was not geared at medically qualified personnel but to church leaders and sought to address themes and questions such as:

• What do we mean by HIV and AIDS treatment literacy?
• Why is treatment literacy in HIV and AIDS important?
• What are ARVs and how do they work?
• Do churches have a role to play in treatment?
• How can church leaders help the members of their congregations deal with treatment related issues and problems?
• How can church health facilities participate fully in implementation of ARV programmes?

More details can be viewed in the  HIV Treatment literacy workshop report PDF (284.18 kB)

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Given the success of the HIV and AIDS Treatment Literacy Workshop held in January 2006, several more workshops were organized:

• Nairobi, Kenya: 13th - 18th November 2006
• Addis Ababa, Ethopia: 10th - 14th October 2008
• Yaounde, Cameroun: 20th - 24th January 2009
  
• Bafoussam, Cameroun: 26th -28th January 2009
• Batouri, Cameroun: 27th - 29th April 2009
• Yokadouma, Cameroun: 10th - 11th December 2009
• St. Paul's University, Nairobi, Kenya: August 2010
• Nairobi Network of Post Test Clubs, Nairobi, Kenya: September 2010
• Emmaus Centre, Nairobi, Kenya: 4th - 7th April 2011
• Disciples of Mercy, Kisumu, Kenya: 26th - 28th April 2011

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Treatment Literacy Courses on request 

Following the recent publication of the HIV and AIDS Treatment Literacy Guide for Church Leaders, EPN decided to offer its Treatment Literacy Courses for Church Leaders on invitation from any church or other groups. 

As a church leader, it is possible to influence outcomes. This training course aims to introduce church leaders to some of the skills they can use and the ways that they can influence outcomes through: 

• encouraging the church to have and implement good policies
• working with local church hospitals
• acceptance and support of those on treatment, including children
• encouraging understanding of treatment issues
• increasing treatment-seeking behaviour
• taking the message to communities 

To successfully achieve these things, a church leader needs to have some understanding of: 

• the key messages around treatment for HIV and AIDS
• what AIDS treatment means for the church and how this might change policies 

Click here to download the course information leaflet  (683.67 kB) or contact us for more information.

Do you want to sponsor an HIV Treatment Literacy Training! Click here.

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