Author: Liz Squire, Communications Advisor, USAID’s Office of HIV/AIDS

In the industrial town of Matsapha, Eswatini, it’s just after 6:30 a.m., and already the line for the healthcare services provided by USAID local partner, The Luke Commission (TLC), stretches the block. 

Through USAID and the support of the Matsapha Town Council, 30 TLC healthcare workers are able to receive patients every weekday at the TLC mobile health clinic in Matsapha. TLC offers a comprehensive platform of more than 40 health services, so patients can receive medication to prevent HIV (PrEP), life-saving medication to treat HIV, cervical cancer screenings, family planning counseling, doctor consultations, and eye screenings among other health services. Patients, or VIPs as TLC refers to their clients (Very Important Patients), range from babies to the elderly, and everyone receives care at no cost.

“We provide services and stay open until every patient has been seen. Sometimes that means we close at 6 p.m., sometimes that means we close at 10 p.m.” says Mbongiseni Tsela, operations manager for The Luke Commission. 

The mobile clinic sits in the center of Matsapha’s most industrial area with factories framing the clinic in every direction. During the week, the town doubles in size as workers travel into Matsapha for the workweek. 

The TLC mobile clinic comprises six gazebo tents, two vans, and a converted trailer which provide space for patient registration, counseling, a pharmacy, and multiple places for patients to meet with a provider in private. The vans and tents are largely unmarked and that is on purpose. All tents are numbered and there is no sign referring to HIV services. 

“We know that lack of transportation, stigma and discrimination keep patients from receiving care. With this open-air clinic model, patients can walk in on their way to or from work and leave without fear of anyone knowing that they received HIV medication or an HIV test,” says TLC Director Rogers Mamba.

The Matsapha mobile clinic typically sees more than 300 patients a day for everything from the flu, HIV services, COVID-19 vaccinations, and diabetes. Patients can also be fitted for a wheelchair during their visit if needed. Through a partnership with the Matsapha Town Council, the town provides security, electricity, water, and a working toilet to TLC staff and patients. 

In addition to seeing patients at the mobile health clinic in Matsapha, TLC providers also visit businesses throughout Eswatini, with permission from the businesses managers, during working hours to provide workers with healthcare services. In 2022, TLC provided 47,000 workers with comprehensive healthcare services. 

Another key component of TLC’s model to reach patients where they are is its mobile outreach. Every week, TLC teams set up mobile clinics in Eswatini’s most rural and underserved areas to provide critical care including HIV services. In 2022, TLC reached over 200,000 patients through its fixed site and mobile outreach centers. 

Patients also have the option to receive advanced care at TLC’s Miracle Campus, which offers all the same services that the mobile clinics do and additionally offers inpatient care, including critical care, snakebite treatment, COVID-19 care, surgical care, physical therapy, mental health services, psychosocial services, and palliative care. 

We know that achieving sustained HIV epidemic control will not be possible without ensuring that patients are able to access and adhere to HIV treatment. TLC’s person-centered model demonstrates how removing barriers to continuous HIV care and maximizing convenience for patients results in improved outcomes. 

The Luke Commission is a faith-based organization partnering with the United States government through the President’s Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) since 2016. The Luke Commission delivers HIV prevention, care, and treatment services through a comprehensive, compassionate health care platform.

 

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The TLC team arrives early to receive people coming for services.
The TLC team arrives early to receive people coming for services.
The Luke Commission
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Clients wait to receive health services at the TLC mobile clinic in Matsapha.
Clients wait to receive health services at the TLC mobile clinic in Matsapha.
The Luke Commission