| Finding
help for health …
All of us in South Africa are living with HIV
and AIDS, and we know the effects of the epidemic
on our neighbourhoods, workplaces, communities,
provinces and country. Some of us know our status
as being HIV-positive; others have friends, family
members, workmates, teachers or employees who
are either infected or affected by the virus.
There is no cure for HIV infection. However,
as the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) message
runs:
- HIV can be prevented.
- AIDS can be treated.
- So, hope is possible through action, and HIV
infection can be managed.
Sondela, in keeping with the theme of “2004
- A Year of Healing” connects readers with
the information, people and organisations that
can help you and your loved ones to survive HIV
and AIDS. As far as treatment is concerned, there
is good news: the roll-out of national government’s
Operational Plan for Comprehensive HIV and AIDS
Care is well under way and its goal is to ensure
that anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) will be available
in every health district within a year.
In May, interfaith leaders, medical researchers
and community members in and around Durban joined
together for a one-day workshop to share knowledge
about anti-retroviral drug treatment and the roll-out
of the ARV treatment programme in KZN. Hosted
by partners HIVAN and the World Conference on
Religion and Peace (WCRP), the gathering focused
on how religious groups could help people living
with HIV and AIDS, the facts about how ARVs work,
and how local health structures are targeting
the most vulnerable patients for medication.
Many FBOs are already deeply involved in helping
their members with HIV/AIDS counselling as well
as the practice of and training in home-based
care for terminally ill patients. Faith-leaders,
health facilities and community members can form
groups to share the basic facts about ARVs and
to reduce stigma, while encouraging people to
know their HIV status. Working as partners, they
can also achieve easier access to social grants,
help patients take their drugs safely and effectively,
and assist hospitals, clinics and volunteers with
the running of ARV services and providing extended
care and counselling.
It is crucial that everyone in our society becomes
involved in Voluntary Counselling and Testing
(VCT), empowering women and families with information,
and supporting ongoing prevention and awareness
programmes.
So far, the ARV service points in KZN are: King
Edward VIII and Addington Hospitals in Durban,
Mahatma Gandhi in Phoenix, the Church of Scotland
Hospital at Umzinyathi in northern KZN, Stanger
Hospital, Empangeni’s Ngwelezane Hospital,
the Benedictine Hospital in North-eastern KZN,
E G Usher Hospital at Sisonke, Kokstad, and Edendale
Hospital in Umgungundlovu. Sixteen more sites
are being prepared for accreditation, and in all,
32 sites will recruit patients for the first phase
of the programme roll-out.
Much work is involved in preparing these sites
for the accredited dispensing of ARVs. Service
points have to be resourced with additional teams
of trained doctors, nurses, dieticians, counsellors
and other healthcare workers. Each member of these
specialist teams is crucial to the successful
care of patients enrolled on the programme. Standard
facilities such as a laboratory, a pharmacy, consulting
rooms, and specialist equipment are needed for
testing, medical examinations and monitoring patients’
progress in the safe and regular use of the medicines.
The key points about usage of and access
to ARV treatment are:
- Anti-retroviral drugs enter the cells in the
body that the HIV has turned into “HIV-factories”,
and slows down this HIV activity so that the
Virus cannot spread further through the patient’s
system.
- Vitamin support, nutritional advice and traditional
remedies will also form part of the comprehensive
treatment care and support programme.
- Not everyone qualifies to enrol in the public
sector programme – only those with “Stage
Four” (advanced) symptoms of AIDS-defining
illnesses and those with CD4 cell counts of
200 and below will be assigned for treatment.
- Patients must produce a valid South African
Identity Document – this essential for
the ongoing tracking of patients who might move
from place to place regularly; registering their
ID bar-codes on the national ARV database enables
them to obtain medical care and their ARV pill
supplies at any service point in the country.
- Two Rapid HIV Tests are taken - the first
test screens for an HIV-positive or HIV-negative
result, and the second for confirmation of this
outcome; these are finger-prick blood tests
and take only a few minutes. Only if the two
results do not match will the ELISA test be
done, sending a full tube of blood to the laboratory
for analysis, which takes a week or so; there
is a charge for the ELISA test.
- Patients must be willing to disclose their
HIV status and attend three or more scheduled
visits to the service point the programme involves
each patient having a “treatment partner”,
someone known to and trusted by patient, who
would help him or her to take their tablets
regularly (with food and water as required),
to keep their medical appointments and to provide
emotional support.
- The correct number of tablets have to be taken
every day, on time, for the rest of the patient’s
life. If the patient stops taking the treatment
or misses too many doses, the pills would no
longer be effective in fighting the HIV in his
or her body, and the Virus will not only become
stronger, making the patient very weak and ill,
but will also not respond to anti-retroviral
drugs. For the first six months of ARV treatment,
some of the drugs can have side-effects which
also make the patient feel sick and uncomfortable
– this is why it is so important for one
to receive ongoing advice from a doctor and
to have a trusted “treatment buddy”
to help one stay with the programme. For most
people, the side-effects can be managed and
the treatment is very effective in halting HIV
within the body.
For more information and free materials,
contact:
- The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC)
National Office: 34 Main Road, Muizenberg, Cape
Town 7945
KZN Office: Unit A, 3rd Floor, Doone House,
379 Smith Street, Durban 4001
Tel: 031 304 3673
Fax: 031 361 7051
- The Provincial AIDS Action Unit (PAAU), which
offers the
AIDS toll-free Help-Line = 0800 012 322
- The Red Ribbon Resource Centre: (011) 880-0405
for free booklets on ARVs.
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