ARV defaulters urged to resume treatment
The KZN Department of Health is on a quest to find nearly 117 000 people on antiretrovirals (ARVs) and bring them back to treatment by the end of the year.
Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane said the province has about 1.5 million people who are stable on ARVs, saying that the department is now on a mission to find thousands more who have stopped treatment for various reasons.
Simelane explained that the province is participating in the newly-launched Close the Gap campaign, a collaboration between the National Department of Health and the South African National Aids Council.
Speaking on the Department's KZN Health Chat multimedia programme last Friday, Simelane said the campaign aimed to reach 1.1 million people across the country who know their HIV status, but are not on treatment.
The MEC said although more than 200 000 people in KZN are estimated to be lost to treatment, they have set a target of finding 117 616 of them by year-end and returning them to care.
'We are determined to bring people back on treatment. As we always say, no one should ever die just because they've stopped taking medication that can suppress HIV to the point of being undetectable. We know that some people stop taking their ARVs due to treatment fatigue, which we strongly discourage. In some ways, we are victims of our success as a province. People take their medication until they feel so well that they think they can stop,' she said.
Simelane added that they only feel better because of the treatment.
'So, we urge everyone to stick to their treatment and for those who've stopped, to come back and re-enrol. If we don't, resistance can develop, making treatment less effective and putting our lives at risk,' she said.
She also cautioned that excessive alcohol use can lead to defaulting on treatment.
'Being a teetotaler doesn't make you ibhari (a bumpkin) or unfashionable. There is nothing wrong with not drinking. But if you must drink, do so in moderation – especially if you are on ARVs. Drinking too much makes it harder to keep track of time, let alone remember to take your medication. We plead with our compatriots to take care and protect their health,' she said
The MEC said while the department intensifies its Close the Gap efforts, anyone wishing to return to the ARV programme is encouraged to visit their local clinic and speak to a healthcare worker.
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