**14. Conclusion/recommendation**

The high prevalence of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa, consumer's preferences and the cost of inpatient care depicts the shift from hospital to home care and predict the need for family caregivers, who will be directly involved with the care of PLWHA at home. This shift invoke high level of burden on family caregivers who have little knowledge and skills for HIV management. Strategies for countering caregiver's burden must be identified and addressed through providing adequate support as well as seeking measures to enhance male involvement in family caregiving. This could be accomplished by creating public awareness of negative impact of caregiving as well as encouraging equal distribution of household and caregiving responsibilities. Additionally, ensuring the health care system adherence to discharge policies by providing adequate information on practical and coping skills, as well as community resources for family caregivers of PLWHA is strongly advocated. With the high prevalence of HIV, there is need for periodic counseling sessions where caregivers of PLWHA can meet with medical professionals for advice. Creating caregiver's forum would provide avenue to vent pressure and discussed problems and challenges encountered in the course of caregiving. It is pertinent for health care professionals to recognize family caregivers as potential patient and develop comprehensive assessment format which will incorporate assessment of both PLWHA and their caregivers during hospital visits. Finally there is need for promulgation of policy that recognizes and support female caregivers of PLWHA in Africa.
