Ubuntu : guiding philosophy of care for children with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

The Ubuntu spirit of the African people can greatly impact on the care of children living with HIV and AIDS within the society as the network of relationships within the environment provides a therapeutic milieu for the sick and impoverished. The study aimed at ascertaining the guiding philosophy of care for children with HIV and AIDS with a view to appropriate care in the right philosophy and improving the quality of care given to the children. A qualitative research method was adopted for this study with a grounded theory approach and children living with HIV and AIDS, their caregivers, nurse practitioners and Stakeholders in HIV care were engaged with focused group discussions and interviews. The children and caregiver participants posit among the findings that, the caring atmosphere in the African spirit helps in identifying the problems of the sick child; thereby providing the needed support. The nurse practitioners and stakeholders reflected that, the African spirit of Ubuntu beefs up the interests of one another and provide hospitality and further posit the caring pattern to be deep due to the extended family structures; even although, few among the participants reported inadequate response and inaccessible social security systems as factors impinging on the care. The study concluded that the sense of caring and hospitality for children living with HIV and AIDS is enhanced by the spirit of Ubuntu among the African people with their extended family systems; therefore, modern African societies are encouraged to adopt this livelihood in giving supportive care.