The Chronic Diseases Clinic of Ifakara (CDCI)—Establishing a Model Clinic for Chronic Care Delivery in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The rollout of antiretroviral drugs in sub-Saharan Africa to address the huge health impact of the HIV pandemic has been one of the largest projects undertaken in medical history and is an unprecedented medical success story. However, the path has been and still is characterized by many far reaching implementational challenges. Here, we report on the building and maintaining of a role model clinic in Ifakara, rural Southwestern Tanzania, within a collaborative project to support HIV services within the national program, training for staff and integrated research to better understand local needs and improve patients’ outcomes.

Upscaling cervical cancer screening and treatment for women living with HIV at a rural referral hospital in Tanzania: protocol of a before-and-after study exploring HPV testing and novel diagnostics

“…Since its accreditation in 2005, a hospital-based HIV Care CTC was built up as a center for integrated care and as a research platform, the "Chronic Disease Clinic of Ifakara" (CDCI), through an international partnership between the hospital, the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and the University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland (USB) [28]. In addition to participation in the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) cohort, the CDCI has an open, prospective cohort, the Kilombero and Ulanga Antiretroviral Cohort (KIULARCO) [30] since 2008, where approximately 2500 women are currently under active care. At SFRH, CC screening by VIA is performed twice weekly at the Reproductive and Child Health clinic (RCH) and when indicated cryotherapy is offered in a single visit.…”