Riders Lesotho programme wins 'Big Impact' award

Riders for Health's sample transport programme in Lesotho won the ‘Big Impact’ Award at the <link http: www.thirdsectorexcellenceawards.com home _blank third-sector-award>Third Sector Excellence Awards because of the role it is playing in improving diagnosis and treatment of HIV in rural communities in southern Africa.

Third Sector is the UK’s leading publication for the voluntary and not-for-profit sector. The Third Sector Excellence Awards recognise the outstanding  performance of non-profit organisations in the UK and abroad.

Lesotho has the third highest rate of HIV infection in the world and its unique geography means that people living in mountain communities can be isolated from health care.

To overcome this challenge Riders for Health, have mobilised a team of <link http: www.riders.org what-we-do our-services sample-transport _blank>specially trained couriers with reliable motorcycles to help transport medical samples and results to and from rural clinics, and their team of technicians maintain them so they never break down.

This ensures life threatening diseases like HIV and tuberculosis are diagnosed faster, leading to quicker initiation of treatment and healthier communities.

Barry Coleman, Riders for Health’s co-founder and executive director, said ‘Our sample transport programme is helping make sure that people are being diagnosed quickly and reliably. It means that women are aware of their HIV status, protecting themselves and their children. And it is improving treatment so that people can live healthy lives. Our work in Lesotho is based on reliable transport, but reliable transport should underpin the work of all health workers, in all countries, in Africa. When it does, we will be a long way to making sure health care reaches everyone, everywhere’.

Since 2012, Riders has mobilised 30 couriers, so that 90% of health centres in Lesotho are now benefitting from weekly sample courier service and there has been a 90% increase in the number of samples transported.

<link http: www.riders.org where-we-work lesotho _blank health>Riders for Health’s programme has cut the time taken for test results to be returned to health centres by over half and the couriers transported over 364,000 samples and results between rural health centres and laboratories in 2012.

By making sure that when patients give a sample they can be sure they will get the result, it is helping to build people’s confidence in the health system. Since the Riders for Health service launched three-quarters of rural clinics have also reported that there has been an increased demand for testing.

Riders for Health is using its experience of managing 1,300 vehicles across Africa to make sure these motorcycles are maintained properly so they never break down and the service always runs properly.

As well as the 30 sample couriers, Riders for Health is also mobilising 70 health workers across Lesotho who are delivering health care and support to people living in remote villages in Lesotho, and helping to treat diseases like HIV and tuberculosis. Communication Riders for Health - www.riders.org -