Voices from the Frontline
PATA voices is a collection of frontline health provider stories, insights, and experiences. This page is for health providers by health providers. Frontline health workers are the face of care to the millions of children, adolescents, and communities affected by HIV that they serve. This is a safe space for health providers to share their challenges, experiences, struggles, and achievements in a caring community.
Please join us to acknowledge, show appreciation and value those on the frontline.
Health Provider Champions
PATA’s Me and My Health Provider Campaign celebrates nurses, counsellors, doctors, social workers, pharmacists, community health workers and peer supporters who deliver quality HIV prevention, treatment and care services for children, adolescents and young people in clinics and communities where they Do it Right, Do it Together, Do it Every day!
However, health providers are champions beyond this campaign. We are always looking for stories and insights into how health providers are #DoingTheRightThing. Share a story about yourself or a health provider that inspires you and select stories will be featured on PATA’s website and beyond.
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Clinic Champions
Adolescents adhere to care when the appropriate services are provided. The Nkwen Baptist Health Center says it is possible.
“14 years ago, when I started treatment, I was obliged to listen to what I considered absurd lectures amid adults at treatment centres and queued in with them for my ARVs. Before long, I defaulted. I didn’t see how it was helping me.” For Donald, who is now 28-years-old, HIV services were incredibly unfriendly when he was a 14-year-old adolescent.
Quotes from the Frontline
Peer Supporter
“The positive outcomes of what I do and all the efforts I put into doing my job well, is what makes me happy. It is all worthwhile.”
Peer Supporter
Doctor
“One day, when I was a little girl, my father became very ill. It was difficult for my family to find a doctor who could help my father. Eventually, we found a doctor and this doctor came to our home and he helped my family and I nurse my father back to health. It was then, when I realised I wanted to become a doctor too. This is why I am a doctor today. I wanted to ensure that having access to doctors and medical assistance was not as difficult for other families, as it was for mine.”
Doctor
Health Surveillance Assistant
“I have met so many women who are escorted by their male partners to antenatal visits and joining the mother in bringing their babies or children to under five years old clinic visits and even escorting them to HIV testing and counselling. To see couples do this together is amazing! It truly shows how far we have come in the struggle to have male involvement in the development of children. We are moving forward. I enjoy being a part of this gradual pace of development. It is empowering and comforting to know that the efforts of us, the healthcare workers and organisations like PATA are not in vain.”
Health Surveillance Assistant
Nurse
“Meeting a female, whom is pregnant for the first time and assisting her up until her baby is born and even two years after her baby is delivered is such an amazing experience for me. Sharing this experience with mothers makes me really happy.”
Nurse
Medical Assistant
“My colleagues and I all bring our own skills and contributions to playing a part in assisting the children who visit our clinic to health. When we achieve this goal and other goals we set out as a team and as a Health facility, I feel extremely proud to be a healthcare provider.”
Medical Assistant
Community Health Worker
“The thought of an HIV free generation is what motivates me to do my very best at work and in my community.”
Community Health Worker
Lab Technician
“This is my profession. I do the best that I can do in my profession and in turn I get the satisfaction of helping people along the way. I enjoy my job.”
Lab Technician
Nurse
“It is sort of a calling. I have been trained as a nurse and my last attachment as a student, I was attached to a paediatric ward and when I qualifiedas a nurse, I worked in a paediatric ward too. I just fell in love with those people, the children and adolescents. It is a calling for me.”
“I have worked with an HIV-positive adolescent since she was in secondary school. She is now 22 years old, a lady. I was with her when she stared dating. I counselled her up to the time she got married traditionally as well as up to the time she had a white wedding. I was in the family meetings, planning her wedding. I also did the couples counselliing with them and right now they have a baby and the baby is HIV-negative. That really makes me happy. The relationship we have built and the journey we have gone through together really makes me happy.”
Nurse
Community Health Worker
“I enjoy working with children living with HIV. Children speak their mind and they understand when you talk to them.”
Doctor
Doctor
“For adolescents, doctors should realise that these are people who have graduated from childhood but society has not allowed them to graduate and they are irritated by this. They want to be liberated; they feel as if they are in bondage. So they are very conscious of control. So my advice to young doctors is that you should allow these children, these adolescents, to lead you. If you allow them, if you ask them questions and try to find out what they want, you will never have any problems with them. But when you try to tell them what you want you will run into lots of complexities.”
“Initially, I did not plan to be a doctor; I wanted to be a pilot. My father did not fully support this decision, So I studied to become a doctor. At first, I thought I was trying to fulfill my father’s wish by becoming a doctor. But, when I went into this profession, it gave me so much joy and satisfaction! I don’t care how much money is in my pocket, my satisfaction is the satisfaction of the patient.”
“Adolescents initially prove to be very impossible to work with and yet, very intersting too. Trying to lead adolescents seems to always lead to complexities. My approach is to let the adolescents lead me. This makes communication easier and allows me to find out the exact issues that the adolescents are facing. Since I have discovered this formula, I always allow them to lead, then problems become less difficult and we solve issues together.”
Doctor
Pharmacist
“I went into this field to help children, because where I am coming from children are being discriminated and do not have access to treatment. So when I see them not accessing treatment I have the passion to say, ‘Can I give them the right treatment so that they can also see the futher?’”
“As a pharmacy guy, I like best to see the children grow, see them interact with each other. I see them become leaders as adolescents child living with HIV.”
“My proudest moments are when I give support through counselling and dispense the correct dosage of drugs to the adolescents at my clinic. I know that in my job, I play an extremely important role in the lives of these adolescents and I try my best to help them where I can.”
Pharmacist
Doctor
“I believe that the medical profession is like a calling. I grew up around relatives who were sick with HIV and I wanted to do something to help. I could have been a lawyer but I said, ‘No, let me go for medicine’. I wanted to help people.”
“Working with children just gives me the satisfaction that you are working with people who have dreams, they want to be somewhere. And so helping them overcome the challenges they have medically, I have realised I contribute to what they want to be. That makes me happy.”
“Working with children from the PMTCT stage too putting them on treatment and witnessing them adhering well. I see them develop and age from toddlers, through to Primary school, graduating from college and moving onto university. They are happy and living healthy lives. They come back to the clinic and say, ‘Thank you, Doctor´. Seeing them succeed in life makes me very happy. My work, makes me happy.”
Doctor
Nurse
“These children have to cope with living with HIV/ AIDS, so it’s best if you, the health worker, show care when working with them and give them your support and make them feel at home.”
“When children startour programme. When we begin caring for these children and they are doing very well on treatment. You can sense their happiness and improved perspective of life in general. Moments like these make me proud.”
“My advice to newly qualified nurses, is to be patient and tolerant when providing a service to adolescents and even to adults. As a nurse, if you can combine patience and tolerance when working with adults and adolescents, you could positively impact their efforts to adhere to treatment and to their clinic appointments.”
Nurse
Community Health Worker
“I enjoy working with children living with HIV. Children speak their mind and they understand when you talk to them.”
Community Health Worker
Senior Counsellor
“When people are free from discrimination, they no longer have to fear exclusion but are encouraged to benefit from improved access to HIV education, information, treatment, care and support.”
Senior Counsellor
Nurse
“When I was at school, I saw a nurse in a beautiful white dress, and I thought to myself ´I want to be a nurse one day´. I Managed to do that and I am extremely happy with the path I have taken.”
“I always advise the adolescents and all the patients I work with; to be active and try to live a healthy lifestyle and always try to educate themselves, not only about their illness, but also about general life and the world around them. ´Empower yourself!´.”
Nurse
Pharmacist
“I always advise the adolescents and all the patients I work with; to be active and try to live a healthy lifestyle and always try to educate themselves, not only about their illness, but also about general life and the world around them. ´Empower yourself!´.”
Nurse, Malawi.
“I get irritated when children report for more pills. Or when it shows that their adherence is not good. We, as healthcare workers, stress the importance of always checking that child take their drugs, to the caretakers. It’s frustrating when the caretakers don’t do their work.”
“My happiest moments are when the procurement of drugs arrives at the clinic and all the drugs that are needed are there. Then, I know every child will have access to the treatment they need and the clinic will be able to provide a good service to patients.”
“My advice to pharmacists, especially the young ones who have just qualified, is that they should work hard and they should be trusted by their colleagues and management at their workplace with managing all drugs, especially antiretroviral drugs because antiretrovirals are not easy to procure. Best wishes to young and experienced Pharmacists.”
“The best part of my job is when I dispense drugs… that’s how I know people are taking the treatment they need.”
Pharmacist
Peer Supporter
“Take your medication well, suppress your viral load and the future is bright!”
Peer Supporter
Peer Supporter
“Our health facility works to maintain confidentiality around patient information, run campaigns in the media on reducing stigma, offer counselling to reduce self-stigma and encourage the importance of disclosure, allowing the client to receive support and assistance from someone close to them.”
Peer Supporter
Clinical Care Coordinator
“Services rendered to young people must be tailored to their needs and must be offered in a friendly manner by health workers who are trained in the provision of adolescent-friendly health services.”
Clinical Care Coordinator
Counsellor
“I like working with children living with HIV because some of them are orphans and some of them are living with their relatives. So when they work with me I try to give them the attention and care they miss in their homes and I make sure they take their drugs properly. They should have good adherence. I run the teen club in Malawi and many of the adolescents there, love me.”
Counsellor
Our podcast series
PATA Podcast Series is a 3-part series featuring health providers giving advice to their peers on how to be COVID-19 ready on the frontline.
PATA introduced the PATA Podcast Series, for health providers by health providers to promote resilience by creating a sense of community, where health providers share experiences and give advice to their peers on how to be COVID-19 ready on the frontline.
Episode 1
How to get primary health facilities ready for #COVID19 and beyond. Featured in this episode are health providers Epie Fanny, Athience Matongo and Eugene Mupakile.
Episode 2
How health facilities are adapting #HIV treatment and care for children, adolescents, and young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Featured in this episode are health providers Caroline Nyandat and Naomi Monda.
Episode 3
The importance of managing stress, mental health and self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Featured in this episode are health providers Roger Bedford and Epie Fanny.
Our song
The PATA PATA Song, recorded in 2016 by Dr Patrick Oyaro, PATA Board member and Chief Executive Office of Health Innovations, Kenya calls for us to unite and end AIDS for all children once and for all.
Messages of Support:
During the COVID-19 outbreak, PATA launched a platform to acknowledge and show support for frontline health providers. These messages were shared across the PATA website and social media platforms. Today, we can continue to show our appreciation and support for those on the frontline.
Heleen Soeters
Not all heroes wear capes. Thank you to all the health providers working on the frontline of this pandemic. You are an inspiration to us all. Your courage and selflessness is an inspiration to us all.
We celebrate you all,our thoughts
We celebrate you all,our thoughts and prayers are with you as you lead the charge from the front. Asante!
Thank you to all front
Thank you to all front liners for your braveness!
You are in our Prayers! Be Safe!
You have been our heroes
You have been our heroes and you have been supporting us
You deserve to be honoured
Words cannot express how much we adore you
Thank you health care providers
You have inspired us in
You have inspired us in these trying times. Indeed you are a blessing to humanity.
Just want to appreciate the
I just want to appreciate the PATA health workers and their hard working during this period of the coronavirus pandemic. Let’s work together and follow instructions by the health providers.
I support all the medical
I support all the medical professionals who care about patients with COVID-19. And I’m concerned about them and their patients.
People who are affected by
People who are affected by COVID-19 have not done anything wrong, and they deserve our support, compassion and kindness. It is normal to feel sad, distressed, worried, confused, scared or angry during a crisis. However, remember time heals everything. We have COVID-19 today but we will not have it forever. Be positive but most importantly, Stay healthy, Stay Safe.
We really need support to
We really need support to our adolescents in this hard times. With the impact of the coronavirus, more services are being suspended including Viral Load and Teen Club sessions, however we need them to live positively during these hard times and we should give them all the support. We need them to get COVID-19 health services as soon as possible. We need them to have continued and fair service delivery of their ART. We need them to not default in their treatment. We need them receive enough SUPPORT.
Your love towards mankind is
Your love towards mankind is priceless. I personally thank you so much our dear Health Workers from the deepest deep of my heart. Your sacrifice has surpassed the expected love that one has for another. We love you so much! Stay safe!
Thank you for the incredible
Thank you for the incredible work you are all doing to support young people during this difficult time. Stay well.
Dear healthcare providers,Thank you for
Dear healthcare providers,
Thank you for being so selfless and courageous in serving humanity. You are the heroes of this generation.
To our Health professionals and
To our health professionals and all assisting
We appreciate the work that you are doing. Thank you for the time and I hope that we will beat this pandemic.
As we’re all facing this
As we’re all facing this sad period of the pandemic of #COVID19, let’s #StayAtHome and use social media to sensitize the community – then we can #StopCOVID19.
Our dear frontline health providers.
Our dear frontline health providers. Thank you for your strength, courage and relentless spirit during this time – not only in your own countries but in the world at large. You are in our thoughts and prayers. We may never grasp the full extent of your sacrifice and what it costs you – but we see it, we recognize it and we celebrate it. Sending lots of love from down south. Stay safe!
A massive thank you to
A massive thank you to the healthcare professionals around the world placing themselves at massive risk for the lives of others, I don’t think health care workers will ever be looked at the same way again after this crisis! Thank you!
Thank you for not staying
Thank you for not staying at home to keep us safe.
We will stay at home and keep safe to show our appreciation.
May you always be blessed .
To all the heroes Thank
to all the heroes
Thank you for the time and work you have put into helping others during this insane time. You are noticed and you are so appreciated. Thank you so much for your bravely, your sacrifices, and your unflagging compassion. health care workers are heroes and we wouldn’t be able to get through this time without you. What can we do without you people. From deep down of my Heart i say bravo. You are my inspiration
Thank you! Asante! Merci! Obrigado!
Thank you! Asante! Merci! Obrigado! Shukran! Grazie! Enkosi! Ngiyabonga! to all our amazing health care workers and everyone else that is on the front line! Thank you for your humanity and putting us all before yourselves.
What can we do without
What can we do without you, dear Frontline Health Care Workers, you are HEROES indeed
A BIG thank you to
A BIG thank you to all health workers and frontline staff for your support during this pandemic. May God bless you abundantly.
Greetings I’ll wish that the
Greetings. I hope that the health providers will be able to adequately sensitize and educate all AYPLHIV (adolescents and young people living with HIV) on HIV and COVID-19. It would also help to have small brochures, posters or flyers that can help them to know their position as they face the pandemic, teaching them to be careful and look after their immune systems. Thank you.
Thank God for the health
Thank God for the health care workers who are taking care of patients, clients and families in the covid area. God bless and protect you from diseases
COVID 2019 came as a
COVID-19 came as a surprise globally but if we put our heads together we can control it. COVID-19 is real let’s stay at home!
Tammy Sutherns Burdock
Frontline health providers, we salute you during this challenging time. Thank you for being on the frontlines as the first line of defence against COVID-19, putting your own healthcare at risk. We are wishing you all good health and strength during this time.
Thank you so very much
Thank you so very much for all that you do. I am standing beside you all of the way.
This is the hardest time
This is the hardest time in our lives worldwide, especially for those who have to stand in the forefront fighting this pandemic. I say to everyone trying their best to reduce the damage that this pandemic continueS to cause that we thank you for all your bravery. A hero is someone who is selfless and who strives to create change for the better, y’áll are our heroes. We thank you for your determination.
I thank you for the
I thank you for the bravery of helping the world in the fight against COVID-19. For that I say thank you all those that are on the frontline – we will continue praying for everyone of you God be with you all.
To frontline health providers:Life is
To frontline health providers:Life is what happens when you’re busy making plans to serve lives we recognise your hard work during this COVID19 pandemic.
It is not how much you do – it is how much love you put into doing it.
We thank you for all
We thank you for all that you do to ensure our good health and courage.
Gillian Makota
Thinking of you our dear Frontline health providers during this COVID -19 crisis. You have our support and heartfelt appreciation. Sending love and virtual hugs to you all.
Health providers are the heart
Health providers are the heart of any health system and in the face of an health emergency they hold the health and safety of all in their hands! Hugest thank you to all of the healthcare workers and those on the front lines who selflessly serve and sacrifice to care for our loved one’s !
We see you, we stay home for you and will always stand up for you!
THANK YOU !!
To all those wonderful frontline
To all those wonderful frontline healthworkers who are risking their own health to help others, you are the unsung heroes and we are truly grateful for you dedication
Across the globe – thank you
Across the globe, thank you to the trash collectors, truck drivers, freight pilots, grocery store workers and of course the health care workers/military aid/ and police. We must listen to WHO and work together to stop the spread and find a vacancy.
Dear Frontline health care providers
Dear Frontline health care providers thank you for having the interest of us, making us your priority, risking your lives just to save us during this very challenging times (COVID-19).
We appreciate and love you 💚🙏🏿
Futhie🤗
Thank you for the sacrifice
Thank you for the sacrifice you are making to keep us safe. To all those on the frontline, we are forever in your debt🙏
No words sisters and brothers
No words sisters and brothers can describe how grateful I personally am for your care, skills and for putting other people ahead of your own health and safety. May God bless you and your families infinitely. You keep us alive and going. You’re our heroes!!
Hi our heroes, the health
Hi, our heroes, the health care providers (Medics, Psychosocial, Managers, Drivers, researchers, etc), all those involved in the day-to-day fight against COVID-19, we are more than blessed to have you. Let the good Lord continue renewing your energies to keep keeping on.
Thumbs to the COVID-19 patients, keep fighting on, hope is just at the end of the tunnel.
Be blessed.
Thinking of all the front
Thinking of all the frontline workers – we all rely on your compassion and commitment. Thank you for your preparedness and hard work.
Linda Ndlovu
To our dear frontline health providers: We appreciate your continued dedication and strength. Thank you for putting your best foot forward despite the challenges you may be faced with during this difficult time-not only in your own countries, but the world at large. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Be safe.
