On World AIDS Day on December 1, the Federal Center for Health Education reminds us of the dramatic figures for the global disease AIDS. Only 46% of those affected worldwide have access to vital medication. This is the reason why the infection is often still tantamount to a death sentence. NGOs such as the Ndlovu Care Group, which provide medical care – regardless of health insurance, social status or financial means of those infected – are vital for those affected in rural areas.
Hugo Tempelman played a pioneering role in South Africa with the mother and child clinic, which he was able to run for many years with significant financial support from the magnetic jewelry company Energetix. HIV-positive mothers were delivered of their babies here. The early treatment of the virus made it possible for the babies to be born HIV-negative. This and other successful projects in the Limpopo province drew the attention of government agencies to the work of the Ndlovu Care Group. Treatment methods are now being adapted as basic models by the Ministry of Health.
The fact that state authorities are seeking support from an NGO is a great honor for Hugo Tempelman and his work. People infected with AIDS whose treatment in state hospitals is rejected as hopeless are referred to Hugo Tempelman. The Ndlovu Care Group manages to treat 70 % of these cases successfully, enabling them to return to a largely normal life.
To improve this rate even further, Hugo Tempelman and his Ndlovu Care Group have set up a research center. Many new research projects are installed here and their sustainability investigated. For example, the HIV rapid test has been available since last year – a saliva test that proves within minutes whether you are carrying the virus or not. Another important research project is the ring study, which is investigating whether the contraceptive ring can also be used to administer HIV-preventive medication at the same time. You can find the complete overview at: https://hugo-tempelman-stiftung.de/projekte/forschungsprojekte/
