International News Heifer Works to Bring Food to Those With HIV and AIDSDecember 11, 2006 The scale-up of HIV drugs to patients in developing countries must be accompanied by proper nutrition in order for the medicines to work most effectively, the charity Heifer International said ahead of World AIDS. "People need milk, they need meat. Especially if they are on antiretroviral drugs," said Meghan MacKrell, HI's Central and Eastern European program assistant. That is because the drugs do not have the same strength in patients who are hungry. For almost 60 years, Little Rock, Ark.-based HI has provided livestock and training to poor families across the world. The group offers HIV-affected families cows and other animals to raise for milk and other products in a bid to help stave off AIDS. The animals are considered so important, said Kelly Doppelhammer, HI's East Africa program assistant, said that when parents fall ill from AIDS, other people often help care for the livestock. "What is happening is family members of the people who are dying and also neighbors are coming together and helping with the care of the animal," she said. "When someone is too sick to get up to feed the animal or milk it, the other people will come in from other families [including] other people with AIDS who are not as bedridden." Associated Press 12.01.2006; Jon Gambrell This article was provided by CDC National Prevention Information Network. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update.
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