Interdisciplinary Seminar:
Education for Health
Convener: Eliane Didier, France

Bringing about Change in AIDS Medication in Africa
Ceppie Merry, Irish Federation of University Women

This paper will outline the research work funded by Trinity College Dublin to investigate the type of AIDS medication most appropriate for patients in Africa. With colleagues, Dr Merry set up an AIDS treatment and information centre to research drug dosage and effects on other medication such as malaria treatments. This information service helps support care workers in 13 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and has brought about change in both Africa and Ireland.

In Ireland courses have been developed to help overseas doctors present themselves more effectively to Irish employers in the hope that valuable experience in Ireland can make these Doctors more effective when they return home. In Uganda some organizations have become involved in fundraising locally in appreciation of the work. A charity has been formed called Realta Global AIDS Foundation to help small and larger projects make a real difference to the daily lives of people, especially women, who care for their extended family and use the clinic themselves. Realta is Irish for stars and the name arose from the fact that children in Africa enjoy getting gold stars to mark their involvement in the projects. The Realta team works on the premise that the answers to Africa’s problems lie in Africa with its people.

This paper will discuss the work of the foundation in establishing health care programmes and care in the Kireka Orphanage for Children with special needs. This work shows that through the vision of many women they are truly agents of change

Dr Ceppie Merry is a Senior Lecturer in Global Health, Trinity College, Dublin. She is a member of the Academic Alliance for HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention and founder of the ‘Realta Global AIDS Foundation’ to promote AIDS research, treatment and care in the African Context.