The Luke Commission has been working on PEPFAR programs for USAID for a total of 14 years, and has served in Eswatini since 2005.
Twenty years ago, HIV was a death sentence. With the advent of ART, HIV is a treatable disease, and people living with HIV can live full and long lives. While sustaining epidemic control will require ongoing vigilance, we are grateful that more focus can now be given to other pressing health issues, including primary health care and noncommunicable diseases.
The Luke Commission works with community leaders, community-based organizations, faith communities, and government agencies to maximize uptake of health services from a comprehensive health care platform at both our fixed-site Miracle Campus hospital and at over 1,500 mobile hospital outreaches every year. To reduce stigma and maximize uptake, TLC integrates HIV and TB health services into a comprehensive health platform. TLC offers person-centered care, beginning with whatever health challenge a person shares and then offering other services.
A TLC staff member assists a patient
Prior to the development of ARVs, TLC provided testing and prevention services. With the advent of ARVs, and with support from PEPFAR, TLC now offers prevention, care and treatment services for HIV/AIDS and TB. In 2022, more than one-third of TLC’s 217,000 outpatient visits were by HIV+ people. In addition to outpatient services, TLC began offering inpatient services for advanced HIV and TB in 2017 at the Miracle Campus hospital.
Seventeen years ago, The Luke Commission’s small staff of eight people stepped into a big vision: to end the isolation of underserved communities to quality health care. This fledgling team visited one community at a time, going to three or more communities each week. Today, after hosting over one million patient visits and having delivered over six million medical services, we are a much bigger team still pursuing a big vision.
We are so grateful for the support of PEPFAR in empowering free-compassionate, comprehensive health care across Eswatini. We are most proud of the fact that we have never turned away anyone who presented to us for services and we have never canceled a scheduled outreach. Through the height of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and, more recently, through COVID-19, the TLC team has continuously welcomed every person for quality, compassionate health care.
A mobile hospital outreach site
On any given day, 12-15 mobile hospital outreach teams serve patients in the field, while hundreds of other people receive services at the fixed-site Miracle Campus. Like PEPFAR’s story, TLC’s story is one of hope, optimism, and action informed by data. From small beginnings, a culture of compassion has taken root not only in The Luke Commission, but in Eswatini as a whole.
Compassion is a limitless resource in a resource-limited world. While we will do everything we can for every person, we know we cannot heal every person. We can, however, show compassion and love to every person, treating him or her just as we would our own father, mother, brother, sister, or child.
The Luke Commission, Eswatini
Years as a USAID/PEPFAR partner: 14