Welcome to our travel blog! We are going on a 5-week service trip in sub-Saharan Africa through a program at Kellogg, which is funded by the Gates Foundation. To learn more about each of us and our HIV/AIDS service work, visit our profile page. As we travel, you can also read our journal postings, look at pictures,and track our progress on the map. The most devoted blog readers can signup to receive email updates when we make new postings! We’d love for youto follow along and share in this experience with us! We will spend two weeks in Namibia, two weeks in Botswana and one week in South Africa.
So, why is researching HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa important?
• Sub-Saharan Africa has just over 10% of the world's population, but is home to almost 64% of all HIV infections.
o Namibia: 1 in 4 adults has HIV/AIDS
o Botswana: 1 in 5 adults has HIV/AIDS
• Many people do not have access to accurate and timelytesting, treatment and overall health or HIV/AIDS education.
• Infants are a particularly vulnerable population. 50% of infants with HIV will die before their 18-month birthday, yet accuratetesting is often not available before this age.
o Many infants are given antibody tests, which are appropriate for adults. When used on an infant, an antibody test gives false positives because the infant carries his/her mother’santibodies until 18 months old.
o Some infants are given DNA-based tests, but it can take up to 6 weeks for results to be delivered. During these 6 weeks, much can go wrong – lost rests, lost results, or mothers not returning to learn the results of the test (because travel to a clinic is costly and takes a long time).
I'm always amazed at your travels and experiences. This one is another example of the warm-giving hearts you have. Our family, the Gates F., and the WORLD! are so lucky to have you two in our lives.
Travel safe, happy trails,
Hope to see you when you get back
JOHN