Survey findings launched on treatment for people living with Aids.

The National Association of People Living with HIV/Aids, Lironga Eparu, recently launched its HIV/Aids Treatment Consultation. This study was conducted among members of the organisation countrywide during 2002-2003 to establish the views and perceptions of HIV positive Namibians with regard to issues of treatment. Lironga Eparu currently has 26 support groups for people living with HIV and Aids spread across all regions of the country. The majority of these support groups are coordinated by women.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

David Lush, one of the researchers involved in the consultation, emphasised that "it was important that the study was done by ourselves, since we are the targets of treatment." He said that Lirongo Eparu took a holistic view of treatment, including issues of diet, testing, counseling as well as access to ordinary and anti-retroviral drugs. While acknowledging that the Namibian government generally has good policies on HIV and Aids, for example with regard to confidentiality, he charged that these were not "getting to the ground." He high-lighted the major findings of the study as follows:

For many people living with HIV and Aids, even ordinary medicine needed to treat opportunistic diseases is too expensive and often not available, with long distances having to be travelled to clinics and hospitals. There is further a lack of awareness of specific treatment for HIV and Aids, even among people living with the disease. Professional health care staff was found to stigmatise and discriminate against patients, while the quality of counseling was often poor. The survey recommended that more people living with HIV be trained as counselors, as they would be in a better position to empathise with their clients.

The study found that families need help in coming to terms with the disease and caring for their infected family members, and that there is still discrimination at the workplace despite progressive policies. Poverty alleviation was seen to be crucial for infected people to be able to live healthy lives.

Lush stressed that "knowledge is power", saying that 'positive' people needed more information to make informed choices, for example, with regard to their reproductive rights. "It's important for us to know about methods of protecting babies from the disease, because some of us have the desire to be parents, and having children gives us inspiration and encouragement."

He said that the findings of the study have been used to inform the campaign for 'Treatment Now!' "Some approaches of this campaign have received criticism. However, Government must understand that there is a lot of hopelessness and frustration out there. We are asked to break the silence--now that we are standing up and expressing our viewpoints, don't push us down again!" he concluded.

The survey was concluded before the Ministry of Health and Social Services launched its programme for anti-retroviral treatment in mid-2003. Speaking at the launch, Dr Flavia Mugala of the Ministry said that more than 2000 Aids patients were now on anti-retroviral treatment, with the target for 2004 being double that number. The treatment is available at six government hospitals and four Catholic hospitals in the country.

According to estimates of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, there are approximately 200 000 people living with HIV and Aids in Namibia today, of which some 50 000 require anti-retroviral treatment now. Sixty percent of these are women. With a roll-out of treatment to only 4000 Aids patients by the end of 2004, its seems that the hopelessness and frustration will continue for a long time to come.

Contact Lironga Eparu at 061 213638 or 213653 for information about the support groups or to receive a copy of the HIV/Aids Treatment Consultation.