The African Eye Trust has organised two training sessions in London targeting people of African origin living with or affected by HIV. The course aims at training members of staff and volunteers to become HIV Treatment Advocates. With appropriate training, the HIV treatment advocate will offer individualised patient support, governed by harm reduction principles that can increase medication adherence, reduce hospitalisations, and improve the quality of life for those with HIV.

Today, more than 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS and many more are affected indirectly through family members becoming ill or dying from the disease. However, the real story of HIV/AIDS is not happening at the global level but in the streets, settlements, families and communities that make up the cities, nations and the world as a whole. It is at the community level where action is needed and counts most. According to HPA report 2006, HIV and AIDS continues to disproportionately affect African communities living in the UK over other communities.

The complexity of HIV disease management calls for innovative holistic measures to ensure the greatest quality of life for those who are affected. The treatment advocate project is a low threshold and low-cost means of improving HIV patient care. Working within a multi-disciplinary team structure, treatment advocates are able to provide intensive patient support, particularly around adherence, that can both enhance treatment outcomes and improve the quality of life for people with HIV.

The African Eye Trust provides various community activities based on a holistic health promotion approach seeking to empower the African communities living in the UK with necessary skills, knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, and capability to address HIV/AIDS effectively.

For more information please email  our Lead Trainer Mike Hizza

Please click here to download the application form below.

For Directions to training Sites  please click on the links below:

• The African Eye Trust  Training Site Venue and Map
• MRC training Site Venue address and Map

MRC: about clinical trials

MRC main page

Information on the PIVOT trial:

PIVOT leaflet: click here

Trial information: click here

HCQ01 Trial information:

HCQ01 Trial leaflet: click here

HIV Treatment Advocates Training Schedule

Day One: 20^th January 2010

Location: The African Eye Trust, 65 Kings Cross Road, London WC1X 9LW

Day Two: 2^nd February 2010

Location: MRC Clinical Trials Unit, 222 Euston Road, London NW1 2DA