LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: HIV positive daughter needs access to ARVs

EDITOR: This letter is primarily addressed to the Ministry of Health and Childcare and the Bulawayo City Council.

I have a daughter who is HIV positive.  She was diagnosed as such at one of the Bulawayo City Council clinics and she collected her tablets there for a year or so. She later relocated to a neighbouring country in search of greener pastures. She returned home late last year and has no intention of going back. After she had exhausted the supply that she had brought from the neighbouring country she went back to the same clinic from where she was diagnosed with a complete record card concerning her treatment from the neighbouring country.

She was denied her supply of tablets and was told to bring a transfer letter from the neighbouring country.  Further to that she was told to try her luck elsewhere but this has failed.

My daughter is being denied life saving medication and yet her medical the records are there. She is a citizen of this country and she is entitled to medical treatment in her country of birth.

Please note that I do not blame the nurses at the clinics that she has visited and denied treatment. It is the system that is there which unfortunately was put in place by people who are not HIV positive. As it stands now, the sick must serve country’s laws instead of the other way. The clinics are turning away my daughter to die in the name of a “transfer letter”. 

Suppose she had returned from UK would it be reasonable for her to travel back there to get that letter? To me it sounds nonsensical and lacks any logic.

I do not believe this is an isolated matter. I think many have given up the fight and are suffering in silence. In public places both government and local authorities praise themselves for their fight and containment of HIV and Aids in the corridors of power and yet the story is shockingly different.

Sadly, I am a pensioner getting a pittance every month and I am unable to assist my daughter to travel to get a transfer letter

Cry the beloved country!

Broken Soul,

Bulawayo.