(ARVs)
21 September 2006
The Department of Health is pleased to confirm that the health facility at
the Westville Correctional Service Centre has been accredited to provide
Antiretroviral Treatment. This follows extensive work done by the Department of
Correctional Services to strengthen the capacity of the facility to ensure that
it meets the requirement to safely administer this therapy.
This brings to four the number of correctional service facilities that have
been accredited to provide antiretroviral drugs. The others are Grootvlei
Prison in Free State, Qalakabusha Prison (Empangeni) and Pietermaritzburg
Prison, both in KwaZulu-Natal.
The accreditation team from the national Health Department visited the
Westville facility on Friday, 15 September for evaluation and it is satisfied
that it meets the requirements to be accredited to provide antiretroviral
therapy.
Government is committed to ensure that offenders have access to healthcare
that is commensurate with the level of care they could have accessed, had they
been free men and women.
The Comprehensive Plan on Management, Care and Treatment of HIV and AIDS
developed by the Department of Health and adopted by Cabinet in November 2003,
set norms and standards for the accreditation of service points to ensure that
comprehensive HIV and AIDS care and treatment of the highest available quality
can be delivered. This approach is necessary because of the complexity of the
programme to administer antiretroviral drugs safely and effectively.
A total of two hundred and sixty-two health facilities have been inspected
and accredited in the country. At least 178 of the 635 people have been
initiated on antiretroviral therapy by June 2006.
The requirements for accreditation include:
* availability of a trained care team on-site with representation of all
relevant professions (clinicians, nurses, and counsellors)
* easy access to laboratory, pharmacy and nutritional staff, and links to NGOs
and other service providers
* the care team should consist of sufficient staff in appropriate ratios to
manage the projected number of patients
* appropriate space for consultation, treatment and counselling to assure
patient confidentiality
* access to appropriate laboratory services (for cd4 count, viral load and
other tests)
* secure and adequate pharmacy storage appropriate to handle schedule 5
drugs
* formal referral systems and links with other health operations and social
support services
The Department of Health is committed to assist facilities to strengthen
their capacity to provide comprehensive treatment, care and support services
for people living with HIV and AIDS.
This includes voluntary counselling and testing, promotion of healthy
lifestyle including good nutrition to prolong progression from HIV infection to
full-blown AIDS. Nutrition is NOT an alternative to treatment. Antiretroviral
drugs can prolong lives of those with full-blown AIDS and the Department of
Health is making these drugs available in at least two hundred and sixty-two
accredited health facilities in the country.
Enquiries: Sibani Mngadi
Cell: 082 772 0161
Issued by: Department of Health
21 September 2006
