Accordia Spotlight

IDI Nurse Practices Holistic Care

Mitterrand Kiirya began to dream of working in medicine when he was six years old. “I saw people hurting and I wanted to stop pain, to alleviate pain. That was my concern,” he recalls. Today, as an RN and medical counselor at IDI, Mitterrand is living that dream.

Mitterrand manages a National Institutes of Health-sponsored research study that compares the effects of anti-retroviral drug regimens that are designed to treat HIV-related Kaposi’s Sarcoma. Caused by a virus, Kaposi’s Sarcoma is one of the most common types of cancer among people living with HIV. The clinical trial, which began in May 2007, has seen positive results thus far in treating the cancer.

Watching his mother, who is also a nurse, Mitterrand loved the personal relationships that nurses can develop with patients, and he is convinced that this close interaction that addresses patients’ mental and emotional needs is as important as the provision of medical care. In addition to nursing certification, Mitterrand is trained in medical counseling. He uses a holistic approach to care to address issues that affect a patient’s well-being and makes it his goal to ensure that patients leave with a smile on their faces.

“The day I saw the first patient at IDI is my favorite memory. It was a patient who came with no hope and left smiling. Also, I fondly remember the first home visit. It’s strange for medics to go to homes, but it’s important to have the whole picture of medicine and care.”

To further improve the quality of care for the 100 IDI patients in the study, Mitterrand visits participants at their homes, both in Kampala and up-country in the rural districts. Mitterrand explains that adherence to the drug regimen is vital for ensuring success and avoiding drug resistance. Since many participants live far from IDI and are often too weak to travel, Mitterrand and his team take medicine to their homes.

“By visiting patients, we can better monitor progress or any compounding issues. This extra effort gives patients confidence in their caregivers and the study and helps battle many of the psychological roadblocks to drug adherence.”