Vusumuzi Dube
Robin Muchetu in Chinhoyi
THE media is critical in information dissemination on the importance of adhering to HIV treatment in order for people on Antiretroviral Therapy to maintain viral suppression and prevent deaths.
This was highlighted at a two-day training workshop for journalists in Chinhoyi by the National Aids Council (NAC) and comes on the backdrop of reports of pill fatigue among patients as ARVs are a life-long and lifesaving treatment that cannot be stopped for any reason.
The media has been identified as a key stakeholder in the dissemination of correct information on the importance of adherence to HIV treatment in order to save lives.
Before the availability of a single drug that is taken daily at the same time, people living with HIV were taking three different drugs which fuelled pill fatigue.
However, the development of modern drugs has allowed people on ART to take one pill a day and that has assisted in improving adherence.
“Treatment adherence is an important factor and care givers must take a role in ensuring that patients take their drugs consistently. At individual and community levels, we must encourage each other. Some people in communities are open about their status and that also aids in adherence. Adherence is important because we are losing lives unnecessarily because of defaulting. Try and establish that those on treatment are doing so every day to save lives,” said Ms Madelina Dube the NAC Communications Director.
Laboratory Scientist in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Mr Admire Bgwirire said in a bid to ensure that there is adherence, they have also improved the type of drugs taken by people with HIV.
“The Ministry has phased out the use of Nevirapine as HIV treatment based on an HIV Drug Resistance Survey findings. It has many side effects and was discontinued. There is always something being done to see negative side effects then the need to change these drug regimes,” he said.
Rumbidzai Mugwagwa the Assistant Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Congenital Syphilis Officer at the Ministry of Health and Child Care also reiterated that the media was a vital link in information dissemination.
“Journalists should help in spreading information about drug adherence, in any medication even simple antibiotics, if you do short cuts in taking medication you end up developing resistance to that medication. For us, as Government, this is why we always try to have adequate stocks of ARVs because we do not want people to go to clinics or health institutions and fail to get medication and develop drug resistance,” she said.
She added;
“When we talk of drug resistance to our clients we encourage them to stick to a stipulated time of their choice to take their medications so that drug levels are maintained in the body.
“Looking at the Government, we are guided by the World Health Organisations (WHO) guidelines to see if the ARVs we will be using will still be efficacious or we need to stop them. You see that we have discontinued Nevirapine and moved to Dolutegravir”.
During the meeting it was highlighted that several people defaulted on their treatment because they were failing to access health facilities during Covid-19.
@NyembeziMu
Online Reporter