5 April 2006
Dr Mvula Tshabalala, Provincial Programme Manager, HIV and AIDS Directorate,
Free State Comprehensive Care Management & Treatment Plan (FSCCMT), will
address the community about the programme and services and the importance of
the programme. These information sessions aims to limit the misconceptions
regarding HIV and AIDS in general.
Venue: Bethlehem Dutch Reformed Church (Rev Khambule), C/o Manye Street
& Church Street
Date: Wednesday, 5 April 2006
Time: 10h00 â 12h00
Phekolong District Hospital in Bethlehem has been accredited to issue
antiretroviral treatment (ART) recently. They have started with implementation
of the ART programme on 3 April 2006. Bohlokong Clinic in Bethlehem will be an
assessment site, referring to Phekolong Hospital.
Communities of the local municipalities of Dihlabeng (Bethlehem, Paul Roux,
Rosendal, Fouriesburg, Clarens) and Nketoana (Reitz, Petrus Steyn, Lindley and
Arlington) will benefit.
The number of ARV sites has been increasing each year in all the districts
to expand implementation of the comprehensive plan to ensure access to services
for the people of the Free State. The aim is to continue to increase coverage
to all the local municipalities to make ART more accessible to rural people. An
ART site is defined as a hospital and its referring clinics. The referring
clinics are called ARV assessment sites.
The implementation of the ARV portion of the comprehensive plan for
management, care and treatment of HIV and AIDS, which national Cabinet approved
in November 2003, is thus on good track.
Our community should understand that one can live a full productive life for
many years without ARV depending on your life style. The decision on whether or
not to go on to anti-retroviral treatment will be based on clinical evidence
including CD4 counts.
It is very important that the patients should proceed through the whole drug
readiness program before starting their lifelong treatment.
The first important step in the fight against HIV and AIDS is for all of us
to know our HIV status. If one is HIV positive, one can take necessary steps to
prevent re-infection, adopt a healthy life style and if necessary access
treatment in the early stage of the infection. If one is HIV negative, one is
in a position to take steps to prevent unnecessary infection and to remain
negative.
Anybody who wants to be tested for HIV or who wants to know their status can
visit their nearest primary health care clinic to be tested. Free voluntary
counselling and testing (VCCT) is available at all primary healthcare clinics
in the province.
Before starting with treatment, patients have to complete the drug readiness
program to learn more about the disease about ARVs and what to expect if ARV
treatment is taken. These include side effects during the first month of
treatment, which normally disappears afterwards.
Enquiries:
Elke de Witt
Cell: 083 561 6517
Issued by: Department of Health, Free State Provincial Government
5 April 2006
