Some people living with the HIV/AIDS Virus in Mazabuka are reported to have stopped taking anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) in preference for herbal medicine being sold in private drug stores.
District Aids Coordinating advisor, Pastor Kenan Ndhlovu disclosed this during a
District Development Coordinating Committee meeting held in the Mazabuka municipal
council chamber, and chaired by District Commissioner, Misheck Chiinda yesterday.
Pastor Ndhlovu said the sudden behaviour has caused alot of suffering to the affected patients due to severe reactions.
He said there is need for the government to intervene quickly and clear the perception by patients that herbal medicine can cure HIV/AIDs before lives are lost.
And District Director of Health, Dr Namasiku Siyumbwa who also attended the meeting
confirmed that some patients had stopped taking ARVs but could not shed more light.
Meanwhile, District Commissioner, Misheck Chiinda has urged people living with HIV
who have been enrolled on ARVs to continue with their treatment because herbal
medicine cannot cure HIV.
He observed that, recently, the ministry of health released reports of the clinical trials on herbal medicine but stated that the results showed that herbal mecidine
cannot cure HIV/AIDs.
Mr Chiinda said there is need for people living with HIV to support government efforts meant to curb the rising HIV infections by adhering to the treatment.
He said the negative attitude by patients would frustrate government from procuring
ARVs if patients stop in preference for traditional medicine.
The HIV infection rate in Mazabuka stands at 16.8 percent.
ZANIS
Before we get to ARV’s, lets just get back to a few basics: HIV/AIDS are in our midst. The biggest weapon we have in our fight aginst the two,is INFORMATION & EDUCATION, in how to avoid contracting them – which is nothing new!! Problem is educating ourselves over a number of issue i.e. SELF DENIAL doesn’t help us; SAFE SEX isn’t just condoms, it’s also about being responsible enough to know our own HIV status and continued adherence to safe sex.Avoiding use of HERBAL DRYING agents. PROTECTING our partners if our own status is compromised. Thinking REALLY HARD about starting a family Knowing & without knowing our status. Just think about how CRUEL and SELFISH for one to inflict this on an innocent child, YOUR OWN CHILD for that matter!! ARV’s are not a cure, users are given a chance to lead an almost normal life, I’d hope this gives impetus 4 mo responsibility
Now getting to ARV’s and HERBAL MEDICATIONS, I do understand that some HERBAL REMEDIES do work & benefit patients. However,it’s time HERBAL REMEDIES were regulated. Am aware of thr Traditional Healers Assoc, I think it shud take the lead in concert with the MOH to verify which are the acceptable remedies,this being – High benefit with Low Risk ratio, hence resulting in FEWER ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS. The PUBLIC shud be in the FOREFRONT of supporting such a move, becoz it’s IN THE PUBLICS BEST INTEREST that they are served with SAFE HERBAL REMEDIES. I’d like to believe that most of these HERBALISTS’ are registered with their association, but knowing the expanse of our country, this may be in doubt. AGAIN, it all boils down to EDUCATION & INFORMATION. EDUCATION/INFORMATION isn’t necessarily going to SCHOOL, but BEING AVAILED INFORMATION/KNOWLEDGE to help one make an informed decision about their HEALTH, or generally anything in life!! SPREADING INFO BY WAY OF WORD OF MOUTH is very cheap!
It is unfortunate to learn that HIV patients are shanning the ARVs in preference for herbal remedy.Perhaps there is need to re-echo the massage and benefits of ARVs.
What about the Tetrasil that we read in the papers which apparently is only reported in one paper and no other paper gets that information. It is because of such information that people could abandon ARVs because it is reported that the cure has been found. And according to the story the in that paper, the Doctors that found the reverse formula for the laboratory manufactured HIV virus say tha time has come to put an end to this HIV/AIDS nonsense, no one needed to die from it any more. Now, instead of recieving that news of the AIDS cure being found, people started saying negatives about the whole issue, which I think is very unfortunate too.
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HIV is harmless and does not cause AIDS. Stop giving ARVs. Save life. ARVs kills. The media should stop misinformation about this HIV/AIDS nosense. God gave us herbs, enough. Africans lets wake up. Americans and Europeans,few HIV take ARVs. Thank you
HIV is harmless and does not cause AIDS. Save life. ARVs kills. The media should stop misinformation about this HIV/AIDS nosense. God gave us herbs, enough. Africans lets wake up. Americans and Europeans,few HIV take ARVs. Thank you
Kauwo, are you for real?????????????