Bugembe Church HIV and AIDS Ministry (BUCHAM) or St. MARIANNE COPE PROGRAM IS a faith-based community-based organization that was founded in 2007 following a need identified by the Bugembe Catholic pastoral team. As the team moved out to do Pastoral work, they identified the need to have an HIV initiative to the infected persons in all years of age.
BUCHAM exists to promote health through provision of spiritual social support, medical treatment, counselling and day care services to the elderly members. Currently BUCHAM provides treatment and care services to around forty men and women (40) infected with HIV and AIDS aged 50 years and above, 20 clients below this age, 5 adolescents and two children below 10 years of age.
SERVICES OFFERED
BUCHAM ministry runs two clinics in a month housed in small shelter that is close to Bugembe Youth Centre and currently clinics are run by two nurse Volunteers, and four support staffs who are also clients. Services offered include counselling, treatment of opportunistic infection (infection that take advantage of weakened immunity due to HIV and Old age) From its inception the clinic has be able to maintain and buy drugs to its members that is provided by the parish priest from the small church contributions but has also incurred challenges and barriers in provision of services.