By KONGE Fellan
Case Study – Stand in for her first
Fellan is an AGYW HIV ambassador and has been active in the HER Voice Fund under HOVUCA. Fellan entered the program in 2020 and over the years have been receiving mentorship on HIV/SRH advocacy, awareness raising on HIV to her peers, confidence building and public speaking. Using the skills she has gained from HER Voice fund project and mentorship, Fellan brought comfort, smile and hope to her peer who was a victim of unprotect sex with her boyfriend who is living with HIV.
The case unfolded as follows:
On Saturday the 8th of July a young lady 23 years showed up at Bejema clinic (a clinic that is in collaboration with HOVUCA) looking very distressed and asking to do an HIV test. During pre test counselling and conservation at Bejema clinic, the young lady narrated in tears: “Yesterday I visited my boyfriend and we had sex and I slept there, the following day I was cleaning the house and I discovered some HIV drugs in his cupboard, I was worried and when I tried to asked him he was furies, had a quarrel with me and later drove me out of his house. My fear now is that I had sex with him without using condom meaning that I am infected with HIV too”. The Director of Bejema clinic counselled her and ask for herHIV test done, still confused she was still afraid to do the test and was only crying. So the Director made a call to HOVUCA and explaining the situation and that the lady needs more calling especially from a peer. We consulted with the girls on phone and strong girl Fellan opted to go to the clinic to handle the case. Fellan met the girl at the clinic and her test was done it was negative but the director advise her to go to another clinic for post exposure prophylaxis but she was unable to face any health personal to explain all this to them or stand to take the post exposure prophylaxis) even after the counselling. she afraid of stigma, she said she might go to that clinic and meet someone that knows her and the person will start spreading her name that she has HIV, she was saying this and crying. Having witnessed first-hand the entire scene unfold, strong girl Fellan had compassion for her, and spoke with the girl, they came to an agreement, that she would go collect her drugs on her behalf for the next 2 months posing as the one who is infected with HIV and on the other hand she would have to come do her tests regularly so that her situation monitored at the same time coming to the clinic regularly for counselling and guidance.
The director of Bejema then directed Fellan to where she can get the PEP and that is how Fellan went to clinic and presented herself as the victim, her test was done and they gave her the PEP and she returned to Bejema clinic where she handed the drugs to the young girls. Fellan did this to protect her peer’s health but counseling is ongoing and Fellan and the director at Bejema are gradually breaking down the fear so that victim can later personally follow up her health. The director of Bejema together with Fellan are encouraging her to join HOVUCA’s AGYW safe space.
Konge Fellan
