Archive

Hardest hit by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic was our Newlands Clinic Training Centre, which was unable to hold courses on site from March to October. Instead, Newlands Clinic stepped up decentralised training in the provinces.

Ruedi Lüthy, HIV/Aids specialist and founder of Ruedi Lüthy Foundation, turns 80 years old. As a member of the board of trustees, trainer at Newlands Clinic Training Center, and mentor he still takes an active part in the development of the foundations' work. Ruedi Lüthy is fighting the HIV/Aids pandemic since the 1980s – at first in Switzerland, now in Zimbabwe.

A difficult and unusual year is coming to an end. Our CEO Sabine Lüthy explains how Newlands Clinic mastered the past few months. And she is summing up what has happened during this time.

Our Director Research and Training Cleophas Chimbetete successfully defended his PhD thesis with summa cum laude - merit distinction - at the Global Health Institute of the University of Geneva. His thesis is titled “HIV Drug Resistance and Third Line Antiretroviral Therapy Treatment Outcomes in Zimbabwe”. We congratulate him from the bottom of our hearts.

Besides providing life-saving treatment to people with HIV/Aids, Newlands Clinic helps ensure the ongoing improvement of retroviral therapy in southern Africa. This is possible thanks to the high-quality long-term data we gather with our own software, ePOC.

In 2019 the Newlands Clinic Training Centre provided 871 healthcare workers with a solid grounding in the effective treatment of HIV/Aids. For the second time it was possible to stage a course for nurses in southern African countries with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Ruedi and Sabine Lüthy work hand in hand for the benefit of patients at Newlands Clinic. Together they resume last year in our annual report.

Our laboratory at Newlands Clinic finally received a delivery of testing supplies. Due to the corona crisis it has been challenging to import material. Samples we had to put on hold are now being processed by our staff. This is how we ensure high quality treatment at Newlands Clinic.

The year 2019 was an extremely difficult time for people in Zimbabwe. Thanks to judicious planning, loyal donors and a dedicated team, we were able to give more than 6,700 people with HIV/Aids hope for a better future. Read more about our activities:

Annual Report 2019

The lockdown in Zimbabwe puts a number of our already vulnerable patients in distress. Our mental and social health (MSH) team is more indispensable than ever. They had to find new ways to support our patients during the corona crisis. Bahati Kasimonje, head of social and mental health, is giving an insight:

Newlands Clinic obtained another delivery of food. Our stock will last for some additional weeks. Furthermore, our Clinic mastered the first week of the lockdown Zimbabwe well.

Newlands Clinic provides essential medical services during the lockdown period to patients in dire need. Our team makes it possible: Thanks to their tireless and professional engagement Newlands Clinic remains partially open.

The Coronavirus reached Zimbabwe: Newlands Clinic took further safety measurements.  The health of our staff and patients is our top priority. Read more about the current situation at Newlands Clinic. Country Director Matthias Widmaier answered our questions.

 

Zimbabwe has no confirmed COVID-19 cases until now. We are monitoring the situation closely. Newlands Clinic is continuously adapting the measures we already took. We are welcoming every patient in a temporary pavilion as of Monday. Our medical staff will measure temperature, ask questions about their health status and other possible risks. Thus, we are keeping control of everyone entering and leaving the clinic. Patients with a suspected corona infection will be sent to the designated hospital by our medical staff.

Until now, COVID-19 did not affect Zimbabwe. All suspected cases turned out to be negative, the Zimbabwean Ministry of Health and Child Care reported. Our medical staff at Newlands Clinic is closely monitoring the situation and took precautionary measures.

Love Land App aims to inform teenagers about taboo subjects such as sexuality and HIV/Aids through playing. Karin Stierlin is developing this app with her organization taboobreaker. Next week girls and boys of different ages are examining an early version of the app at Newlands Clinic. In the following interview, Karin Stierlin explains how crucial testing the app is and what result she is expecting.

The Swiss branch of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) honors Ruedi Lüthy with the Swiss Human Rights Award for his engagement against HIV/Aids. "This acknowledgement for my work makes me very proud", says Prof. Dr. Ruedi Lüthy, founder of the Ruedi Lüthy Foundation. The award presentation took place on the 7th of December 2019 in Bern.

The Faculty of Medicine awarded its honorary doctorate to Ruedi Lüthy for his pioneering work and his tireless fight against HIV/Aids. The official ceremony took place 29th of November at St. Martin’s Church in Basel.

At the opening of the 17th European Aids Conference in Basel Ruedi Lüthy received the "Award for Excellence in HIV Medicine 2019". The EACS European AIDS Clinical Society rewarded Ruedi Lüthy for his engagement against HIV/Aids. "This Award is a great honor", says Ruedi Lüthy, founder of the Ruedi Lüthy Foundation.

Knowledge that saves lives: Newlands Clinic trained in partnership with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) 20 health workers from six countries in Southern Africa. In an two-weeks course they got theoretical and practical knowledge about HIV treatment. "The training we do has a multiplying effect ", says our teacher Azza Mashumba in an interview with Newlands Clinic.

Many young people struggle with their HIV infection and the lifetime of therapy that it means. They need particularly close support to ensure that their treatment continues uninterrupted.

Our Annual Report 2018 is online! Find out how we made an impact for 6,500 HIV patients in Zimbabwe.

Many thanks to all our donors, supporters and our whole staff.

Enjoy the read.

The Newlands Clinic team will not forget 9 January 2019 any time soon, as it was the day that Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis toured our clinic in Harare as part of his visit to southern Africa. The foreign minister appeared impressed, and emphasised the important contribution that Newlands Clinic is making to the fight against HIV/AIDS.

On January 9th, Swiss Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will come and see Newlands Clinic on his visit to three southern African countries. The team looks very much forward to welcoming him!

Official Press release

Newlands Clinic was represented at the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam!

Our staff members Cleo Chimbetete, Tinei Shamu, Sandra Bote and Bahati Kasimonje presented results on different studies conducted on Mortality Trends among HIV-patients as well as the positive impact group counselling has on adherence in adolescent patients.

Our foundation was created 15 years ago: “I am proud of an incredible team”. Listen to Ruedi Lüthy’s short interview.

Today, more than 6,000 patients living with HIV are treated at our Newlands Clinic. A big and heartful thank you to all our supporters and our staff for making this happen!

Video on Youtube!

Marigold Mupunga talks about her first few weeks as a social worker at the Newlands Clinic. Find out what inspires her most, and what is crucial in her role.

Today is International Women's Day 2018! Your wish for every woman?

Watch the Newlands Clinic employees Petronella Mudhokwani, Linda Chirimuta, Eleanor Kaziboni and Charity Hutete!

Video on youtube!

Happy International Women's Day and High Five to the Women in Zimbabwe, Switzerland and worldwide! Check the voices of our male employees.

Tomorrow is International Women's Day 2018! Listen to what the gentlemen at our Newlands Clinic have to say.

Our staff members Tinashe Mudzviti, Stefan Zimmerli and Walker Takaendesa know exactly what they wish for the women! Watch our video on youtube. 

Check the voices of our female employees.

“You don’t need state-of-the-art medicine to get to grips with Aids. But what you do need is high-quality care centred on the patients.” To mark World Aids Day 2017, Ruedi Lüthy has written a guest commentary in the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung, in which he explains why the battle against Aids is still far from over.

Read article (in German)

Over a 10-year period, Ruedi Lüthy and his team examined the outcomes of more than 600 long-term HIV patients receiving treatment at Newlands Clinic. Thanks to the comprehensive care and support they are given, the results are comparable to those in Switzerland.

What is the current situation in Harare and how do people react to the recent events in Zimbabwe? Ruedi Lüthy has been interviewed by different Swiss media during the last days, among them Swiss TV station SRF. Meanwhile, Newlands Clinic is still operating normally.

The political situation in Zimbabwe has been tense for some time, and on 15 November the army took temporary control of the country. The situation in the capital, Harare, is calm at present, however, and Newlands Clinic is operating normally. The security and safety of our staff and patients is of the utmost importance, and we will be monitoring the situation as it develops.

As announced at the end of 2016, following a thorough induction process Stefan Zimmerli is now officially taking up his duties as Medical Coordinator at Newlands Clinic. Prof. Ruedi Lüthy will continue to play an active role, providing advice on medical matters where required.

A large delivery of milk powder has arrived at Newlands Clinic last week. The high-protein powder is also rich in vitamins. The 14 tons will be distributed to the children with HIV to support their growth as well as to patients recovering from illness. We would like to say a huge thank you to the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), which has been financing the milk powder since 2008.

The Medical Doctors’ Ball held on 16 September in Lucerne collected donations for our foundation for the 15^th year running. Stefan Zimmerli, our future Medical Coordinator, and our Chief Executive Sabine Lüthy accepted a cheque for CHF 8,000. Our heartfelt thanks go to the organisers and guests for a wonderful evening and their long-standing support!

www.deraerzteball.ch

(Photo: Fabian Biasio)

The Ruedi Lüthy Foundation Board of Trustees appointed Beat Wagner as its new member at the end of August 2017. A specialist in communi­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­cations and a former diplomat, he will be an ideal addition to the six-strong team. Welcome on board!

Our 2016 Annual Report is now online. In addition to an overview of our activities, it gives you an insight into everyday working life of Newlands Clinic’s social worker. Melania Mugamu visits especially vulnerable patients such as orphans or single mothers in their homes in order to find out how we can support them. Having her own HIV story to tell, the fight against HIV/Aids is particularly close to her heart.

More...

Just like adults, babies and infants receiving treatment at Newlands Clinic have to take their HIV medicine every day. Thus far they have received this in the form of a bitter syrup, which made administering the drug very unpleasant. Thanks to the Clinton Health Access Initiative, 24 babies and infants up to the age of three now receive their medicine in small pellets, which can be added to their food twice a day. This means the treatment is no longer a daily ordeal for the parents and children. The pilot project started in April 2017 and will run until the end of the year. It will then be evaluated to determine whether to switch over to the new medicine in the long term.

After visiting us at Newlands Clinic in Harare, the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger published an in-depth report on the hardships our patients face every day, and the difficult decisions the medical team sometimes have to make. Susanne Anderegg also talked to Ruedi Lüthy about his vision for the future.

Tages-Anzeiger, 27 May 2017 (pdf, in German)

The Swiss foundation ‘Dialog Ethik’ has published an interview with Ruedi Lüthy on moral courage in its quarterly magazine. The journalist Denise Battaglia spoke with him about the fight against HIV/Aids in Switzerland in the 1980s, about his decision to establish Newlands Clinic in Harare, and about his moral principles as a medical doctor. We hope you find it interesting reading.

Dialog Ethik, May 2017 (pdf, in German)

Our vocational skills training programme has started a new year, and a further 25 adolescents and young adults receiving treatment at Newlands Clinic will thus be given the chance to learn a vocation and start working for themselves. In light of the economic crisis in Zimbabwe, this support is more important than ever.

At the end of April, ten young teenagers who have only recently had their HIV diagnosis disclosed to them attended a week-long group therapy meeting at Newlands Clinic’s Adolescent Corner. Here they had the opportunity to discuss all their questions and worries about living with HIV, their main concerns being the need for support in taking their medication regularly and their fear of life-long treatment. The group therapy is aimed at empowering the adolescents and giving them confidence that they, too, can thrive in life despite HIV.

The Swiss TV programme “Kulturplatz” reported on the fight against HIV/Aids on 22 February and talked to Sabine Lüthy. What happened when Aids came up in Switzerland in the eighties? How was life back then as a teenager and as the daughter of the renowned Aids expert Ruedi Lüthy? And what is the situation in Zimbabwe like today?

Watch the programme online (in German)

Throughout 2016, the 100 or so staff at specialist pharmacy MediService collected voluntary donations for the Ruedi Lüthy Foundation in their petty cash kitty. At the end of the year, the company rounded up the amount and its CEO Dr. Jürg Gasser presented our Chief Executive Sabine Lüthy with a cheque for CHF 12,000.

Our heartfelt thanks go to the entire team for their solidarity with the patients of Newlands Clinic!

Having served on our Board of Trustees since 2008, Patrick Rohr will be joining the Patronage Committee from January 2017. The search for a new member of the Board of Trustees will take place in 2017.

Stefan Zimmerli, Senior Staff Physician at the University Clinic for Infectious Diseases at Inselspital, is to take over as Medical Coordinator of Newlands Clinic as part of a cooperation with Inselspital Berne. He will be providing specialist support to the medical team with immediate effect, and ensuring ongoing education and training. Ruedi Lüthy will be reducing his workload from January 2017 and will ultimately step down as Medical Director.

When Maximina Jokonya found out she was HIV-positive at the age of thirteen, it was as if her world had fallen apart. Today, the Newlands Clinic patient helps young people who have been similarly affected. In November, she came to Switzerland at the invitation of Medicus Mundi to talk about her experiences.

This year, too, the “Medical Doctor’s Ball” hast collected donations to support our foundation. A cheque of CHF 10,000 was handed over to Martin Fuhrer, member of our Board of Trustees, on 15 October. Our heartfelt thanks to the organising committee and the guests for the wonderful nigh and their generous support!

www.deraerzteball.ch

In June 2015, the Ruedi Lüthy Foundation set up a project for food-insecure patients aimed at enabling them to feed themselves and their families with efficient maize farming. 135 patients have since completed the course. Despite the severe drought, the results have been encouraging and the project is therefore to be extended for a further year.

One year after opening, the new Women's Health Centre is in full swing, with some 350 of our patients using its services every month. Since the end of last year, we have also been able to vaccinate all some 300 girls aged 10 to 17 receiving treatment at Newlands Clinic against the HP viruses. HPV can cause the dangerous cervical cancer, which unfortunately has a higher-than-average incidence among HIV patients.

More about women's health...

A large delivery of milk powder has arrived at Newlands Clinic: over the coming year we will be distributing some 14.06 tonnes to our patients. This high-protein powder is also rich in vitamins, and is particularly important for supporting the growth of children and patients recovering from illness. In light of the crop failures resulting from the drought, this will be especially important this year. We would like to say a huge thank you to the SDC, which has been financing the milk powder since 2008.

Since the end of June, Zimbabweans have been staging protests against the economic slump and increasing poverty. An initial shutdown took place on 6 July, and this was followed by a second on 13 and 14 July. During this time, services at Newlands Clinic were reduced. Today, 15 July, Newlands Clinic’s services are back to normal.

On 1 July 2016, Swiss Aids Care Inter­na­tional was renamed as the Ruedi Lüthy Foundation. Chief Executive Sabine Lüthy ex­plains the reasons behind the name change, and what it means for the future.

Amid severe drought conditions, Zimbabwe faces an impending food crisis. Newlands Clinic is also affected, with 600 patients and their families particularly at threat. An emergency food relief programme aims to provide basic sustenance to a total of some 3,000 people for one year.

The Zurich-based foundation Paradies Stiftung presented its prize for social innovation for the fourth time on 30 November, the award going to Ruedi Lüthy in recognition of his life’s work. The CHF 120,000 prize money will go to the Swiss Aids Care International foundation.

The 13th Medical Doctor’s Ball took place in Lucerne on 5 September. A cheque of CHF 10,000 was handed over to Gregor Neidhart, member of our Board of Trustees. Our heartfelt thanks to the organising committee and the guests for their generous support!

www.deraerzteball.ch

Matthias Widmaier, the new Country Director at Newlands Clinic, has been in Harare since October 2014. In our interview, he explains how the past few months have been for him, and what has surprised him the most.

We have launched a farming project to provide long-term support to patients suffering from hunger. This will enable 270 families to grow maize independently in the future. Patients who do not have sufficient areas of land available to them will continue to receive food aid.

Thanks to a significant bequest, Newlands Clinic has been able to expand yet further, setting up a Women’s Health Centre in a building adjacent to the HIV clinic in recent months. The centre was officially opened yesterday, 3 March 2015. In addition to diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer and sexually transmitted infections, the centre will offer family planning services and advice to victims of sexual abuse and gender based violence.

On 17 February 2015, the Swiss Foundation for the Doron Prize announced the three winners of this year’s awards in recognition of outstanding social, scientific and cultural commitment. Among the recipients is Prof. Ruedi Lüthy, who has been honoured for his work in fighting to improve the lives of people suffering from HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe.

Following on from Sabine Lüthy taking over as CEO in 2012, Swiss Aids Care International (since July 2016 Ruedi Lüthy Foundation) has taken the next step in its succession planning. Matthias Widmaier (47) is taking on the role of Country Director of Swiss Aids Care International (Zimbabwe), thus also expanding the management team of Newlands Clinic. Prof. Ruedi Lüthy (73) will remain on-site as Medical Director, and will be responsible for the treatment of patients and the training of healthcare professionals.

To date only first and second line regimens for HIV treatment have been provided in Zimbabwe. However, third line regimens are now also available. Newlands Clinic is one of only four clinics that will be allowed to offer the corresponding treatment in future.

News 02-09-2014

Swiss Aids Care International (since July 2016 Ruedi Lüthy Foundation) mourns the loss of Dr. Joep Lange from Amsterdam, member of our Scientific Advisory Council since 2003.

News 18-07-2014

In March 2014, a group of HIV-positive adolescents suffering from depression started the programme that Newlands Clinic set up together with Africaid Zvandiri for the first time.

News 16-07-2014

Loyce Maturu was invited by the WHO to talk about her experiences and her work as a counsellor for young people who are HIV-positive.

News 27-05-2014

Since September 2013, there has been a new course on offer at Newlands Clinic Training Centre, covering diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer.

News 08-04-2014

In February, Newlands Clinic in Harare celebrated its 10^th anniversary. The plans for the coming years are to increase the number of patients from the current level of around 4,500 to 6,000.

Media Release 24-02-2014

Since the nutritional situation of many patients has deteriorated, around 400 of them have therefore been receiving food aid in the form of vitamin-rich porridge since January 2014.

News 04-02-2014

On 17 December 2013, Swiss Aids Care International (since July 2016: Ruedi Lüthy Foundation) appointed Martin Fuhrer as a new member of its Board of Trustees.

News 09-01-2014

The globally active non-profit organisation Population Services International (PSI) is to open four clinics based on the Newlands Clinic model. Newlands Clinic will train the staff, and will support PSI with the overall concept, implementation, mentorship and quality assurance.

Media release 10-09-2013

Swiss Aids Care International (since July 2016: Ruedi Lüthy Foundation) celebrated its 10th anniversary on March 14 2013 at EB Zurich. The foundation is now entering a new phase, with plans to step up the training of local care workers. The search has also begun for a successor as Director of the Newlands Clinic, as Prof. Ruedi Lüthy will be giving up some of his duties in the course of the next year for age reasons.

Media release 15-03-2013

In September 2011, the Amavita network of pharmacies called on children to draw pictures for the children in Zimbabwe. This proved to be a resounding success, with whole school classes and kindergartens supporting the campaign. Nearly 3,000 drawings were handed in at the pharmacies across Switzerland. Amavita donated CHF 25 per drawing, and then rounded the amount up to CHF 100,000.

Prof. Ruedi Lüthy gave a presentation at this year’s symposium of the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development on Tuesday, 4 December 2012, where he spoke about how clinical treatment and psychosocial support of HIV-positive children and young people can complement each other.

News 04-12-2012

Former Federal Councilor Ruth Dreifuss travelled to Harare, Zimbabwe for the first time at the end of April to visit Newlands Clinic. Since its foundation in 2003, Ruth Dreifuss has been a member of the patronage committee of Swiss Aids Care International (since July 2016: Ruedi Lüthy Foundation) and has been committed to combating aids.

News 21-05-2012

Sabine Lüthy, previously a presenter and editor with Swiss Radio DRS, is to take over as CEO of the Swiss Aids Care International foundation (since July 2016: Ruedi Lüthy Foundation) on 1 January 2012. The foundation was set up in 2003 by her father, Prof. Ruedi Lüthy, and runs a clinic for HIV and AIDS patients and a training centre in Zimbabwe. With Sabine Lüthy taking over as CEO, this ensures that the foundation’s work will be carried on in keeping with her father’s vision and ideals over the long term. He will continue to head the clinic on-site in Harare.

Media release 02-11-2011