Project Focus
HIV, Sexual & Reproductive Health and TB

Project Location
Esselen Street Clinic, Hillbrow, Johannesburg

Duration of Project
Ongoing since 2001

Project Partners
City of Johannesburg, Community AIDS Response

Project Donors
PEPFAR

Contact
Ellen Mokhahle, Project Co-ordinator

Project Aim/ Objective
To provide and document models of good practice that can be replicated in other facilities.

Project Activities
RHRU has been working with the City of Johannesburg in Esselen Street Clinic since the late 1990's. Initially, RHRU set up the Women At Risk Project at this site, to provide acceptable mobile clinical and non clinical services and information to sex workers in the Hillbrow area (see Women At Risk Project brief).

The clinic is not a standard primary health care clinic, but provides focused service in STI's, Family Planning, TB and VCT. It was the first VCT site in Gauteng in the late 80's. As the cornerstone of the Health Precinct Project (see Hillbrow Health Precinct Project brief), RHRU is working in partnership with the City of Johannesburg to enable Esselen Street to become a model of good practice in the services it provides. In addition, RHRU runs a number of critical research projects at this site (See project briefs for HPTN039, HSV2 Shedding, and CHAVI).

Anticipated/Actual Results

• Significant infrastructural upgrades to the site including the renovation of the previously derelict 3rd floor, and extensive re-modeling of the ground floor
• Integration of counseling and testing into all services resulting in increased VCT uptake
• Availability of reception desk and contact point at the front door
• Clinical staging and CD4 tests services initiated resulting in patients being referred for ARV's and wellness programme
• Consistent supervision and support of counselors (CoJ, CARE and RHRU) and provision of regular in-service training sessions
• Contribution of staff to provide and ongoing technical advice relating to SRH and HIV services.
• Dedication of a PHC Nurse Advisor time to work with Clinic management to facilitate quality improvement initiatives and support good clinical practice
• Development of an STI tool to improve service and data collection
• Extension of hours of service
• 18,000 patients seen at Esselen Street Clinic by RHRU staff

Future Plans

• Extension of clinic hours for community convenience
• Implementation of a Youth Friendly VCT and Male –friendly Service
• Accreditation of the clinic to provide nurse based ARV service.
• Creating a client friendly environment by conducting more focused integrated training for all categories of staff to be able to provide client-friendly services

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