ZNNP+ bemoans neglect of people living with HIV during pandemic

Thembelihle Mhlanga 

A Non-Governmental Organization advocating for the rights of people living with HIV, the Zimbabwe National Network for People Living with HiV(ZNNP+) is lobbying Government  to offer improved health service delivery systems for people living with HIV.

At their recently held Consumer Advocacy Forum(CAF) meeting held at Lupane Clinic, the CAF chairperson Mr Nkululeko Luphahla lamented the disruptive nature of the Covid 19 pandemic and  its impact on people living with HIV.

Luphahla divulged that a considerable number of their members had raised alarm to changes in the modus operandi with regard service delivery at health facilities since the pandemic struck. Those who were supposed to undergo drug regime change were some of the worst affected groups due to the closure of health facilities that were supposed to dispense the anti retroviral drugs.
“I received a number of complaints from people saying that they have failed to successfully shift from first line to second line drug regimen because of two health facilities that closed for two weeks due to a number of Lupane and Jotsholo clinics who had registered positive Covid19 cases. As a result, people living with HIV were unable collect their drug supplies and also had to forego their scheduled reviews,” said Luphahla. 

Furthermore, Luphahla raised concern on the rise in cases of sexual abuse of  minors that have led to alarming pregnancies. He said the sexual abuses being perpetrated on minors could also account, albeit in part for the rapid new HIV infections. Moreover, he noted that most abuses on minors go unreported. In mitigation, Luphahla said the forum is working on presenting recommendations to the Ministry of Health and Child Care in its capacity  as the service provider. 

According to an official from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the ministry has devised a method that allows those on Anti retroviral therapy (ART) to select one person from their community to collect  ARVs on behalf of everyone in order to ease the congestion at health centres.

The ZNNP+ Intellectual Property Officer Mr. Tonderai Chiduku said that the economic challenges have in the past led to some patents failing to access their proper line of drugs leading to some complications and allergies. He however said training to capacitate stakeholders is on the cards. The stakeholders’ training is aimed at augmenting the Government’s efforts to reduce fatalities caused by HIV.

“We have a scheduled training on the cards which stakeholders will undergo to be capacitated in complementing the Government,” said Chiduku.

He went on to say that  a toll free line on a platform called Kutabila that enables clients to table their challenges on any HIV related information has been established and the number is 08080441. Chiduku hastened to say that, for  Matabeleland North, the extension is 07 and that there is always someone ready to attend to any inquiry or query at the other end of the call.