09 Jul 2020

 It is critical for all HIV/AIDS patients to continue to adhere to anti-retroviral treatment and avoid defaulting, Botswana Network of People Living with AIDS (BONEPA) district coordinator in Mahalapye Sub-district, Mr Edmond Bodilenyane has said.

Speaking in an interview recently, he stressed that as one amongst groups at risk of coronavirus, it was crucial for HIV/AIDS patients to also adhere to COVID-19 protocols to protect themselves.

“We have, in partnership with the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency, developed strategic messages for people living with HIV/AIDS to protect them during the COVID-19 pandemic, as our main mandate is to promote health, dignity and prevention for people living with HIV/AIDS,” he said. 

The messages, he said, were shared with HIV/AIDS patients through health talks or counselling sessions at all clinics in Mahalapye Sub-district during their visits for check-ups or re-fills for anti-retroviral treatment. 

Sharing the challenges encountered by people living with HIV/AIDS that resulted in defaulting on treatment, BONEPA senior community health worker, Mr Ontlametse Rampoo said their engagement with people living with HIV/AIDS through their support groups found that some defaulted due to fear of stigma and discrimination, drugs and alcohol abuse, transport costs and fear to disclose their HIV status to partners.

He said it was important for all HIV/AIDS patients to know that enrollment on ART was a life-long commitment, and that  they could not default or stop taking treatment as that could only make them get sicker. 

“Defaulting from treatment can also result in one becoming resistant to the treatment and will therefore not be effective,” he stressed.

He said they were committed to ensuring that HIV/AIDS patients did not default during the COVID-19 pandemic as contracting the virus could exacerbate their health condition.

For that reason, Mr Rampoo encouraged all HIV/AIDS patients to take their medication accordingly as advised by health workers. He also encouraged men to come forward to test and know their HIV/AIDS status. 

For her part, BONEPA community health worker, Ms Boitshepo Rice explained that their role as community health workers was to follow-up on HIV/AIDS patients to ensure they did not default on treatment or miss appointments or check-ups as well as to advocate for improved HIV/AIDS services. Ends