Pope John’s Garden, in Madhavaram. The target group here is lepers and those hereditarily infected with HIV.
Frans Schlooz was director here for 15 years with “his” lepers. When the disease wasn’t yet under control, there were approximately 750 patients. Now, there are 31, 15 women and 16 men. The center provides home-based care for approximately 750 HIV patients.
On-site care for children who are HIV positive is provided. This is done in a separate boarding school for the 17 girls and 12 boys.
Medical support is provided by a nurse specially trained in HIV. This nurse works with both the children in the boarding schools and the home-based care patients. With the help of, among other things, the medications provided by Bill Gates. These consist of antiretroviral drugs, but also mixed with nutritional supplements to boost their immune system. HIV levels in the blood are being reduced. The children are more energetic, happier, and more cheerful. In addition, considerable attention is paid to the social aspects that can play a role in these diseases (being excluded, feeling inferior, etc.).
