Much has been accomplished in recent years to make anti-retroviral therapy (ART) available at a reasonable cost acrosss Africa. However, ART lacks effectiveness when a patient is malnourished. HIV/AIDS and malnutrition form a vicious cycle.

Energy requirements for people living with HIV/AIDS increase by 10% in asymptomatic patients, 20-30% in symptomatic patients, and 50-100% in children with weight loss. Moreover, malnourished individuals' immune systems are often compromised, increasing their susceptibility to HIV infection.

Current HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment initiatives and nutritional support programs are typically separate entities. In order to successfully tackle the HIV/AIDS crisis, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS must be addressed simultaneously.

Learn how the Gardens for Health solution realizes this comprehensive approach