This three-year project was initiated to explore the high disease burden of HIV reported on farms in the Western Cape. The project period came to an end in September 2010. In its final programme year, it demonstrated exceptional outcomes in targets reached as well as in reaching workers on farms most in need of care. It successfully assisted 85 percent of those eligible for ART to start on treatment. In addition, the Department of Health recognised the need for additional support at one clinic (Op die Berg). This saw the employment of an additional professional nurse and pharmacist providing increased capacity for those patients referred from “farm day” interventions.

In addition, most of the patients testing HIV-positive at a farm eventually presented themselves to the public nurse at the mobile clinic with their referral letters. Within this context, the Department of Health recognised that the mobile service needs to be strengthened in relation to Sotho and Xhosa support workers, as well as extending the service to more than one day per month. It was also acknowledged that the outreach “farm health days” are important tools in diagnosing and referring patients into the healthcare system for much needed treatment as a potential prevention intervention.

The Department of Health staff in the Witzenberg area indicated that they are willing to work alongside such a project in future. These changes were one of the positive outcomes of the Ceres intervention and the team is working to secure additional funds to provide ongoing testing and care referrals in this rural area.