University honours nurse helping HIV sufferers in developing world

10 Jul 2013

The University is honouring five former students who have achieved distinction, highlighting the incredible contribution of Manchester graduates.

Our Outstanding Alumni Awards are given to those who have achieved distinction in their profession, through exemplary service to the University or the wider community or through outstanding service of a personal or humanitarian nature.

The first was presented yesterday (Tuesday 9 July) by the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences to Dr Catherine O’Keeffe, Bachelor of Nursing (BNurs) with distinction (1985), Master of Education in Education for Primary Health Care (1993), Master of Philosophy in Education (2005).

Catherine – now a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Education, University of London – was recognised for her work with Mildmay International, a HIV/AIDS charity that delivers quality care and treatment, prevention work, rehabilitation, training and education for those suffering with HIV across Sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe.

She developed an innovative model of home-based care for people living with the disease that encourages local people to develop community-based organisations providing nursing care, nutritional support, psychological support, income generating activities, and educates locals round the prevention of HIV/AIDS. This in turn has given the family and friends of those suffering from AIDS the skills and knowledge to provide care and support in their own homes.

Building on the success of this model, Mildmay Tanzania established a similar home-based care model for rural communities around Kilimanjaro and Tabora. The Ministry of Health in Kenya has recommended the model should not only be rolled out nationally, but adopted for use in prisons throughout Kenya.