Introdução: A infecção pelo HIV associada com o adoecimento por tuberculose influencia na dinâmica de ambas patologias.Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência e fatores associados da coinfecção HIV/tuberculose em indivíduos com tuberculose no período de 2003 a 2011, notificados no município de Ribeirão Preto - SP. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, transversal, retrospectivo; tendo como sujeito todos os indivíduos com a coinfecção HIV/tuberculose, residentes no município de Ribeirão Preto, que foram diagnosticados, e tiveram seu caso notificado e cadastrado no programa TBweb. Os dados foram obtidos inicialmente a partir do Sistema de Informações para tuberculose no Estado de São Paulo, TBweb. Após a seleção, foi realizado a técnica de \"linkage\" entre os bancos de dados SINAN, SISCEL e SICLOM que contem informações do HIV/aids. Os dados foram analisados por meio do programa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), versão 17.0 for Windows, utilizando-se estatística descritiva, teste qui- quadrado e Odds Ratio. Resultados: Dos 1.277 indivíduos com tuberculose cadastrados no TBweb entre 2003 e 2011, 338 apresentavam a coinfecção HIV/tuberculose, mostrando uma prevalência de 26,5%. Em relação às características demográficas, 244 (72,2%) eram do sexo masculino, a faixa etária predominante foi de 35 a 44 anos (45,0%). Quanto à raça/cor, 151 (44,7%) eram branca. Quanto ao tipo de caso, 308 (91,1%) dos casos eram novos. Referente ao encerramento do caso, a maioria dos indivíduos (58,9%) com a coinfecção HIV/tuberculose obteve cura. A forma clínica mais encontrada foi a pulmonar em 201 (59,5%) casos, seguida pela extrapulmonar em 90 (26,6%) indivíduos. No que diz respeito à identificação de qual doença foi notificada em primeiro lugar, evidenciou- se que a maioria 246 (72,8%) teve o registro do caso de HIV/aids antes de ter a notificação de tuberculose. Com relação à contagem de linfócitos TCD4+, 189 (55,9%) apresentaram taxas menores que 200 células/mm³ de sangue, 201 (59,5%) faziam uso de terapia antirretroviral e 102 (30,2%) apresentaram carga viral entre 1.001 e 100.000 cópias. Conclusão: A prevalência de indivíduos coinfectados foi de 26,5% taxa superior a nacional, sendo a maioria do sexo masculino, com faixa etária predominante em idade produtiva, com baixa contagem de linfócitos TCD4+, com o diagnóstico do HIV/aids anterior ao de tuberculose, evidenciando a necessidade de mais ações voltadas para a prevenção de ambas as doenças / Introduction: HIV infection associated with tuberculosis affects the dynamics of both pathologies. Objective: To assess the prevalence and factors associated with HIV/tuberculosis co-infection in individuals with tuberculosis between 2003 and 2011, registered in the municipality of Ribeirão Preto - SP. Methodology: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study; the subjects were all individuals with HIV/tuberculosis co-infection, residents of the municipality of Ribeirão Preto, who had been diagnosed, notified and registered in the TBweb program, the tuberculosis information system of the state of São Paulo. Data were initially obtained from TBweb. After the selection, the database was created using the linkage technique between the TBweb, SINAN, SISCEL and SICLOM databases, which contain information on HIV/Aids. Data were analyzed by means of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 17.0 for Windows, using descriptive statistics, chi-square test and Odds Ratio. Results: Out of the 1277 individuals with tuberculosis registered in the TBweb between 2003 and 2011, 338 presented HIV/tuberculosis co-infection, showing a prevalence of 26.5%. Regarding demographic characteristics, 244 (72.2%) were male and the predominant age range was between 35 and 44 years (45.0%). As for race/skin color, 151 (44.7%) were Caucasian. A total of 308 (91.1%) cases were new. Regarding the outcome of the case, most of the individuals (58.9%) with the HIV/tuberculosis co-infection were cured. Pulmonary tuberculosis was the most common clinical form of the disease, found in 201 (59.5%) cases, followed by extrapulmonary tuberculosis in 90 (26.6%) individuals. With regard to the identification of which disease was notified first, most cases, 246 (72.8%), had records of the HIV/aids case prior to the notification of tuberculosis. A total of 189 (55.9%) individuals had a CD4-Positive T-Lymphocyte count lower than 200 cells/mm³ of blood, 201 (59.5%) followed antiretroviral therapy and 102 (30.2%) had a viral load between 1,001 and 100,000 copies. Conclusion: The prevalence of co-infected individuals was 26.5%, which is above the national rate. Most individuals were male, in a productive age and had a low CD4-Positive T- Lymphocyte count, with a prior diagnosis of HIV/aids to that of tuberculosis, evidencing the need for more actions aimed at the prevention of both diseases

Thesis (MPH)--University of Limpopo, 2011. / Background: Support groups are an informal resource that attempts to provide healing components to a variety of problems and challenges. An informal support outside of family, friends, or professionals often provides greater understanding, more similarity (from individuals experiencing similar life events), an opportunity for empathy and altruism, and a sense of identity for participants. Learning new ways to handle challenges, cope with changes, and maintain new behaviors are all important aspects of the support group experience. Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine what HIV positive people perceive as barriers to participate in HIV support groups. Methods: This was a quantitative study design using structured questionnaires on 248 participants who gave written consents to participate in the study. Results: Majority were female 63% participants, single (52.63%), unemployed (60%), between ages 31-40 and 52.02% attained secondary education. Participants who were currently on HIV treatment (prophylaxis and ARV) has attended HIV support groups before while participants who were not on any treatment have never attended HIV support groups. Participants who never attended HIV support group also never attended other support groups. The main reasons that participants gave for not attending in HIV support groups was that they are concerned about their privacy and HIV status being known by others. Barriers preventing attendance of HIV support group were support groups are hard to find, work schedules and lack of transport money.

Bakgrund: Omkring 30 miljoner människor har genom åren dött på grund av HIV/AIDS. Det är idag en pandemi där Afrika är värst drabbat. HIV/AIDS ställer stora krav på hälso- och sjukvården och studier pekar på att negativa attityder är vanligt inom hälso- och vården gentemot patienter som är bärare av HIV/AIDS. Syfte: Att beskriva attityder hos vårdpersonal inför att vårda patienter som är bärare av HIV/AIDS. Metod: Arbetet är utformat som en litteraturöversikt där problemet beskrivs. En litteratursökning har genomförts via databaser och 13 artiklar som svarat på vårt syfte har analyserats och studiernas resultat sorterades in i kategorier. Resultat: Resultatet sorterades in i kategorier vilka bestod av; vårdpersonals attityder inför att vårda personer som lever med HIV/AIDS, kunskap relaterat till HIV/AIDS, smittorisker och nationella riktlinjer. Resultatet visar att det inom hälso- och sjukvården finns negativa attityder till patienter med HIV/AIDS som har samband med stora brister i kunskap angående sjukdomen. Kunskapsbristen är stor i områden som har hög prevalens av HIV/AIDS, så som i Afrika. Positiva attityder påverkades bland annat av hög utbildningsnivå och erfarenhet att vårda patienter med HIV/AIDS. Diskussion: Det är viktigt att vårdpersonal världen över utbildas inom HIV/AIDS för att höja kunskapsnivån och på så sätt minska de negativa attityderna som idag förkommer gentemot personer som lever med HIV/AIDS. Upprättande av stödgrupper är viktigt så att vårdpersonal kan träffas och diskutera sina känslor och erfarenheter genom så kallad handledning. Alla patienter ska behandlas lika i syfte att stärka deras värdighet som annars kränks genom negativa attityder. / Background: Approximately 30 million people have died over the years due to HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS is recognized as a pandemic and statistics show that Africa is one of the most affected continents. HIV/AIDS puts on great demands on health care and studies indicate that negative attitudes against HIV/AIDS patients are common in health care settings. Aim: To describe the attitudes of health professionals caring for patients with HIV/AIDS. Methods: The study is a literature review. A literature search was done in databases which resulted in 13 articles that related to our aim. The articles were analyzed and sorted into categories. Results: The result was divided into categories; caregivers attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS, knowledge related to HIV/AIDS, risk of infection and universal precautions. The results show that it exists negative attitudes in health care settings towards people living with HIV/AIDS which correlates with the large knowledge gap about the disease. The lack of knowledge is great in areas with high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, such as Africa. Positive attitudes were associated with high educational qualifications and experience from caring for patients with HIV/AIDS. Discussions: It is important that caregivers are trained about HIV/AIDS to raise awareness and thereby eliminate the negative attitudes which today exist against people living with HIV/AIDS. Establishment of support groups is important so that health professionals can meet and discuss their feelings and experiences through so-called counselling. All patients should be treated equally in order to strengthen their dignity which otherwise gets violated by negative attitudes.

ABSTRACT Background: HIV/AIDS is a worldwide disease and exists documented in over 150 countries. There are 25 million infected people with HIV/AIDS in Africa, those stands for almost 71 % of all infected people around the world. This study is an opportunity to take a more important part of the care process that gives an overview of nurse’s experiences. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe registered nurses experiences of caring for patients with HIV/ AIDS in Dar es Salaam. Method: The study is empirical and it took place at Muhimbili National Hospital and Buguruni Health Center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A convenient sample of seven nurses with experiences of caring for patients with HIV/AIDS participated in this study. Their experiences were investigated through interviews. Interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis. Results: Three categories were formulated as the: Importance with a cooperative relationship, importance with confirmatory meetings and Challenges and stressful work condition. The sub-categories were counted as six and formulated as To achieve good cooperation, To create a close relationship, To obtain confirmation as a nurse, Striving to strengthen the patient through education, To manage heavy workload and stress and To manage difficult meetings. Cooperation and close relations are of great importance when it comes to nurse’s experience of caring for patients living with HIV / AIDS. To perceive confirmation and management maintain the high quality of caring. Conclusions: The nurses who participated in the study described their experiences in the care of patients with HIV/AIDS as confirmatory, cooperative and developing. Despite this, these nurses faces intractable challenges and encounters experienced tough and stressful.

The objective of this thesis is to undertake a cost analysis of an HIV/AIDS prevention programme targeting vulnerable groups in Benin. The AIDS-3 project (Projet Sida 3), a project targeting Female Sex Workers (FSWs), which was implemented from 2001 to 2005, is used as a case study to see how costs vary with location, volume of activities, and HIV prevalence rate. Activities and delivery modes were documented, and cost data have been collected both retrospectively (data on previous “Projet Sida 3” costs already available) and prospectively, using an ingredients-based costing methodology to consider both the financial and economic costs. Output measures were compiled directly from the intervention, and are related to the efficient delivery of different components of the intervention. Average cost per output or per outcome was estimated and cost variation within and between health centres over time was assessed. Results reveal that only the volume of activity is a prominent factor that affects the average cost. The location of the project and the experience of the staff also affect costs as well, but their significance is low. Field work activities that are more efficient in urban areas than in rural communities appear to be paramount in the fight against HIV as far as costs are concerned. / HIV/AIDS Cost analysis

In 2010, the government of British Columbia (B.C.) dedicated $48 million to stop the spread of HIV. The STOP HIV/AIDS pilot project promotes the uptake of HIV testing in the general population, and the use of antiretroviral therapy amongst those living with HIV/AIDS. This project operates with the rationale of ‘treatment as prevention’ (TasP), meaning that antiretroviral therapy is beneficial for the person living with HIV/AIDS, and has the secondary benefit of reducing the spread of HIV in the general population. Public health discourses are constructed via particular worldviews and involve the creation and delineation of societal problems. Undertaking a discourse analysis, I identify eight dominant discourses of TasP and STOP HIV/AIDS that include: provincial and international support for TasP and lack of federal leadership in HIV/AIDS; TasP, a ‘paradigm shift’ and a ‘game changer;’ TasP as beneficial to the individual and society; human rights and harm reduction; proof and certainty; failure of current prevention efforts; risk discourses; and, finally, universal treatment. I also identify five alternative discourses: holistic understanding/social determinants of health; stigma and discrimination; rights discourse: GIPA, informed consent and self-determination; coercion/criminalization and alternative risk discourse. Through a lens of governmentality, I explicate two overarching and simultaneous discursive strategies in realizing the objective of decreasing the spread of HIV in B.C. The first strategy acts on individuals living with HIV/AIDS, encouraging individuals to take up antiretroviral therapy. The second strategy acts on the general population, informing the population that HIV is a problem, and that treating people living with HIV/AIDS is the best way to protect society as a whole. There are various techniques within these two strategies. These discursive events have immense consequences for the uptake of health policies and programs by the public. The dominant and alternative discourses of TasP impact HIV policy and practice and specifically the individuals living with HIV and AIDS who are the subjects and targets of these initiatives. / Graduate

O trabalho voltado à saúde tem recebido uma atenção especial em dois enfoques: a humanização do atendimento e a formação de equipes multidisciplinares. A primeira propõe a valorização da dimensão psicossocial do atendimento, processo amplo, complexo, que passa pela quebra de protocolos, como a relação de autoridade entre profissional e paciente; a formação de equipes multidisciplinares encontra dificuldades inerentes ao caráter racional das ciências especializadas, que fragmenta o saber, perdendo a visão de totalidade. Promover a humanização e o trabalho multidisciplinar, foi a proposta de uma equipe atuando em uma academia de ginástica, criada para atender portadores de HIV/Aids. Formada por alunos e profissionais da Educação Física, Fisioterapia, Nutrição e Psicologia, a equipe reunia-se para discutir aspectos técnicos e psicossociais referentes ao atendimento. O presente estudo teve como objetivo identificar elementos relacionados à apropriação do trabalho, produção de conhecimento derivado do atendimento prestado, e seus desdobramentos para a formação do profissional envolvido. Entrevistas individuais, realizadas junto aos participantes da equipe, permitiram a identificação de conteúdos referentes à avaliação do trabalho realizado, cujos significados foram, posteriormente, agrupados em categorias temáticas: a) Integração, cujos conteúdos se referiam à interação na equipe e desta com as pessoas atendidas; b) Produção do Conhecimento, envolvendo elementos para a construção do saber dentro da equipe, enquanto produto da apropriação da experiência informal ou acadêmica; c) Avaliação, enquanto crítica e autocrítica sobre o trabalho realizado, em função de metas não atingidas ou relacionadas ao trabalho multidisciplinar; d) Perspectivas, ou propensões para a continuidade das atividades, sejam no programa ou na carreira profissional. Tais categorias temáticas, enquanto elementos subsidiários á criação de um background para o atendimento humanizado em saúde, apontam para necessidades de mudanças importantes nos processos de formação em saúde, envolvendo formas de apropriação do trabalho no interior das equipes multidisciplinares. / The work directed to health has received special attention in two approaches: the humanization of health service and the formation of multidisciplinary teams. The first one is considered to ad value to the psychosocial service, a wide and complex process which goes through protocol breaks, such as, the relation between professionals and patients; the formation of multidisciplinary teams finds difficulties inherent to the rational aspect of specialized sciences, that breaks up knowledge, losing the global vision. To promote the humanization and multidisciplinary approach was the proposal of a team working in a health club, established to take care of HIV/Aids patients. Created by students and professionals from Physical Education, Physiotherapy, Nutrition and Psychology, the team congregated itself to discuss technical and psychosocial aspects referring to the service. The present study had as a purpose, to identify elements related to the appropriation of work, knowledge production derived from the service, and its developments to the formation of involved professionals. Individual interviews, carried through the team´s participants, allowed the identification of contents referred to the evaluation of work covered, whose meanings were, later, grouped in thematic categories: a) Integration, whose contents related to the teams interaction and its interaction with the people taken care of; b) Knowledge production, involving elements to the construction of knowledge in the team, while a result of the appropriation of informal academic experience; c) Evaluation, while critical and self-critical on the carried work, either as a matter of unreached goals or not related to multidisciplinary work; d) Perspectives, or propensities for the continuity of the activities, either in the program or in the professional career. Such thematic categories, while subsidiary elements to the creation of a humanized service background in health, point to necessary and important changes in the process of health formation, involving forms of appropriation work inside the multidisciplinary teams.

Os primeiros casos de Aids surgiram no início da década de 1980 provocando reações de medo, preconceito e impotência na população e também na comunidade científica. Estudos epidemiológicos indicaram, naquela época, maior incidência de casos entre indivíduos homossexuais estabelecendo, inicialmente, uma relação entre os casos de adoecimento e a conduta de integrantes de grupos historicamente marginalizados. Paralelamente, investigações clínicas demonstraram fragilidade imunológica entre os indivíduos acometidos e conduziram as pesquisas à descoberta de um agente infeccioso, o HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). As mudanças na forma de compreender e descrever a epidemia de HIV/Aids acompanharam estes processos e passaram, por fim, a considerar condições materiais e subjetivas de vida como elementos estruturantes da vulnerabilidade à contaminação. Neste contexto, as relações de gênero e a submissão do feminino são elementos importantes para a discussão da vulnerabilidade entre mulheres e seus efeitos para as práticas de prevenção. Este estudo buscou identificar, no relato de gestantes soropositivas ao HIV, sentidos acerca de suas vivências na(s) relações conjugais, relações familiares e sociais, convivência com a soropositividade, saúde reprodutiva e a experiência da maternidade, analisando-os sob a perspectiva das relações de gênero e da vulnerabilidade feminina. Foram realizadas entrevistas individuais com dez gestantes soropositivas ao HIV em atendimento pré-natal junto ao Ambulatório de Moléstias Infecciosas em Ginecologia e Obstetrícia (AMIGO) do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto USP (HCFMRP-USP), serviço público de saúde e referência para a região. Os resultados apontam que dificuldades para distribuição do poder nas relações de gênero e a precarização das condições de vida são elementos estruturantes do processo de vulnerabilização ao contágio por HIV; há ainda rompimento de relações sociais e descontinuidade das perspectivas de vida em decorrência do medo do preconceito e da morte provocados pelo diagnóstico de soropositividade e um esforço para o redimensionamento do cuidado com os filhos, além de estratégias para reorganização da vida que vão se configuram ao longo do processo de enfrentamento ao contágio. Na maioria dos casos analisados, as mulheres reconhecem a si como vítimas da ação de seus parceiros, culpando-os pelo contágio. Aponta-se a necessidade de reestruturação das práticas de saúde no atendimento a mulheres soropositivas ao HIV, considerando a necessidade de fortalecimento de seus recursos cognitivos e afetivos para o enfrentamento das vicissitudes do contágio e consequente ruptura com a naturalização como vítimas. Dentre as estratégias para o fortalecimento destas mulheres, a discussão de sua apropriação do processo do contágio e a problematização do aceite tácito da pretensa superioridade masculina e das exigências do parceiro ou da família, são propostas para que se reconheça a passividade feminina como elemento que vulnerabiliza as mulheres, além de fragilizar práticas preventivas (CAPES). / The first AIDS cases appeared at the begining of 1980s provoking fear reactions, prejudice and impotence on the population and also on the scientific community. Epidemical studies indicated, in that time, a larger number of cases incidence among homosexual individuals demonstrating, at the beginning, a relationship between the illness cases and the group integrals marginal behaviour historically. Parallel, clinical investigations demonstrated immunology weakness among the onset individuals and conducted the researches to find out an infectious agent, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). Changes on the form of understanding and describing the HIV/AIDS epidemic followed these processes and at the end turned into considering material and subjective conditions of life as structural elements of the vulnerability among women and its effects for the prevention practices. This study searched to identify, concerning to HIV-positive pregnant women, considering their married, family and social relationship life history, familiarity with positive serum, reproductive health and maternity experience, analysing them under a perspective of female gender vulnerability relations. Individual interviews with ten HIV-positive pregnant women, who were pre-natal assisted in a gynaecology and obstetrics infectious deseases ambulatory (AMIGO) in Hospital das Clinicas da Faculadae de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto USP (HCFMRP-USP), a public health service as well as a reference for the region, were carried out. The results show that difficulties to the power distribution on gender relations and precariousness conditions of life are structural elements of HIV vulnerabity; yet there is a break of social relations and life perspectivity discontinuity due to prejudice and fear of death coming from the positivity serum and also an effort to redeem their childrens care, besides strategies to reorganize their lives occurences that will appear together with facing the contagion process. In the majority of the analysed cases, these women recognize themselves as being her partners actions, victims, blaming them for the contagion. Practice structures needs, in health attendance to these women, are pointed out, considering the necessity to reenforce their cognitive and affective resources, in order to face contagion vicissitudes and consequently rapture with the naturalization as victims. Among the strategies to the reenforcement of these women, the discussion of their appropriation contagion process as well as the assumed male superiority tacit acceptance problematic and families and husbands demandings are proposals to female passiviness as an element of women vulnerability, besides weakening preventive practices (CAPES).

Submitted in Partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Masters Degree in Social Work at the University of Zululand, 2010. / KwaZulu-Natal is at the heart of Aids pandemic, with HIV prevalence figures consistently higher than other provinces.The basic purpose of this research is to assess the impact of Thandukuphila HIV/AIDS Community Based - Care Centre on the lives of HIV/AIDS infected and affected people (beneficiaries), which is situated in a rural township established on the precincts of a vast tribal area in the northern part of Kwazulu-Natal province. This HIV/AIDS Community Based - Centre was initiated as a response by some community members, initially it was church based, the church was challenged by the difficult health problems and social situations experienced by some of their community people, who were being devastated by the disease, HIV/AIDS, both inside the township and the neighboring rural area. In–depth interviews were utilized to seek more information from these knowledgeable individuals regarding their own and other peoples’ experiences, who are beneficiaries of Thandukuphila and, also those involved in many other ways. A purposive sample of nine participants’ from Thandukuphila CBO, which is situated at Enseleni was purposefully selected for the study. All participants were beneficiaries of Thandukuphila Community based care centre. These individuals were identified for their potential to elicit valuable information since they are beneficiaries of the programme. The individuals were also identified according to the criteria for inclusion. There were four groups of participants: i) PLWA, ii) OVC, iii) Caregivers/Volunteers, iv) Committee members. The review of literature gives some detailed analytical views on the prevalence of the pandemic HIV/AIDs in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The aspect of community –home based care is discussed, for the role it is playing as well as the contribution it is making, albeit, in a limited manner because of resources, expertise and support from formal authority structures. The narrative discussion intertwines quotations with the author’s interpretations. Also in data analysis the researchers “seek to identify and describe patterns and themes from the perspective of the participants” Creswell (1994:167). Throughout the study report the research hints at limitations the organization has to contend with and these are briefly indicated in a nutshell towards the end. The set objectives for the study were achieved. The findings indicated that Thandukuphila Community Based -Care Centre has a positive and significant impact on the lives of HIV/AIDS infected and affected people, who are beneficiaries of the program. However, it is the researcher’s informed opinion that responsible Government Departments need to put more effort on assisting since they have professional personnel, in monitoring and evaluating the standard of services rendered by these Community Based Care Centres.

Submitted in partial completion for the degree of PHD in Community Psychology in the University of Zululand, 2006. / HIV/AIDS is the current century's challenge that stares humanity in the eye. The socio-political, economic, spiritual and philosophical dimensions of our society have to face up to this challenge. This brings one to the conclusion that HIV/AIDS is a national disaster and should be dealt with as such. In other words, interventions geared towards combating this epidemic should address all the spheres mentioned above. The main purpose of this study then was to investigate the role of indigenous healers in combating HIV and AIDS. The rationale for looking at the role of indigenous healers was to ensure that their role is highlighted for a joint effort that is necessary for the advocacy, awareness, education, care and medical intervention which is necessary to combat the HIV/AIDS crisis. This challenge goes as far as involving non-medical professionals and stakeholders in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Focus group interviews and individual interviews were conducted with indigenous healers in the Gauteng and North West provinces. The results were analysed thematically. The results are presented in relation to the questions which were posed. The results reflected that traditional healers have demonstrated that they can make a very important contribution to the treatment of HIV/AIDS. However, they feel that they are not receiving a fair opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise in treating HIV and AIDS. They also lack support from the public, from government policy, and from the modem medical fraternity. There have been efforts by the Minister of Health to incorporate traditional healing and traditional medicine as part of a holistic approach to the treatment and containment of HIV. This strengthens holistic health care ensuring the advocacy, awareness, education, care and medical intervention which is necessary to combat the HIV/AIDS crisis. Traditional healers need support and recognition from the public, the government and the modem medical fraternity. It was also evident from the results that the indigenous healers were very willing to co-operate with biomedical practitioners as shown in the statement below. Traditional healers reported that they did not routinely test their patients for HIV as they had no means of doing that. They were legally required to send their patients for testing through modem medical procedures. Most healers also said that they preferred their patients to be checked using modem medicine, and thereafter they would treat them accordingly. This is because they currently relied only on their ancestors to show them when the patient was positive. What is important to note is that these healers said that the disease was not presented to their bones as HIV/AIDS, but that they were only shown the known symptoms of HIV and then were able to deduce that the person was HIV positive.