COMMENT DES COMITES VILLAGEOIS DE LUTTE CONTRE LE SIDA CONTRIBUENT A AMELIORER L’ACCESSIBILITE A L’OFFRE DES SERVICES VIH/SIDA EN FAVEUR DES POPULATIONS RURALES EN COTE D’IVOIRE ?

The Rural Development Agency created village AIDS committees to improve access to HIV/AIDS services for poorly serviced rural populations. The aim is to describe the committees’ activities and their immediate impact on the population. Methods: training and equipping of members, followed by supervision of their activities, namely raising HIV/AIDS awareness, preliminary tests, screening, post-tests, referral of HIV positives to healthcare centres, continuation of healthcare in the community (home visits, observance of antiretroviral therapy, psychosocial accompaniment and palliative care), creation and running of support groups, identification and support of OVCs, and creation and monitoring of IGAs for HIV positives. Results: in 5 years, 144 village AIDS committees in 6 areas; 288 members trained in ART observance, the fight against stigmatisation, palliative care in the community and monitoring of OVCs; 1512 campaigns conducted, reaching 1,754,676 persons; increase in the number of clients receiving advice and screening from 1526 to 42,117; 15,780 HIV positives receiving medical attention and 4,920 receiving ART; 22,381 OVCs identified and monitored. The role played by village AIDS committees in the provision of HIV services in Côte d’Ivoire is complementary to clinical health care. The experience should be reproduced in other low income countries.