Tshwane rings HIV alarm bells

By Karabo Rammutla

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has raised some serious concerns regarding HIV/Aids patients in the city of Tshwane.

The TAC claims stigma and discrimination have led some people living with HIV/Aids to abandon their treatment at local facilities.

The organisation was founded in December 1998 to campaign for access to widespread AIDS treatments across South Africa.

TAC Tshwane voiced its concerns after it found out that the number of people defaulting on taking antiretroviral drug treatment has doubled in the area.

Rinah Semadi, chairperson of TAC Tshwane, said the number of people who are defaulting is very alarming and the staff attitudes at local clinics are to be blamed, especially when it comes to young people.

“The nurses have a bad attitude towards young people and discourage them by shouting at them, as if it is their fault that they find themselves in their difficult situation,” she told Scrolla.Africa.

Semadi added that the bad treatment leads to a high mortality rate.

“Other issues are that people have to stand in long queues for hours and that there is a shortage of staff at our facilities. The issue can be resolved by hiring more staff. Staff must also change their attitude towards patients,” she said.

Semadi further said medication needs to be packaged properly, because other people queuing at pharmacies are sometimes able to see what medication HIV/Aids patients are taking.

“We want to encourage patients to take their medication very seriously and look after their health,” Semadi said.

She urged patients to report issues and challenges they face at local clinics to the TAC.

When contacted, the City of Tshwane’s Sipho Stuurman asked for some time to verify whether TAC Tshwane had provided the relevant statistics to the city’s MMC of Health.

Pictured above: TAC Tshwane at an awareness campaign

 Image source: Karabo Rammutla

spot_imgspot_imgspot_imgspot_img

Recent articles