HARARE - Thousands of people on Anti-retroviral therapy (ARVs) have not been properly informed about the potential side effects of their medication, according to a senior health practitioner and researcher.
Specialist Urologist Institute of Continuing Health Education Director, Christopher Samkange, said in an interview that thousands of HIV positive people who are on ARV, were being neglected by their doctors. He attributed the neglect to a lack of motivation among doctors due to poor working conditions and salaries. According to Samkange, doctors were not taking the time to explain the side effects of ARVs to their patients, nor were they prescribing medication to alleviate their suffering.
The whole health system has no malice in it. I dont think there are any health practitioners who are evil, but sometimes when we have been in a crisis like what we have been going through, people are under pressure to make ends meet and become less committed to their work, he said. When a practitioner is under stress he will not dot the Is and cross the Ts as carefully as he normally would. So doctors will tell
the patient what drugs to take, and when to take them but may not then have the time to discuss the side effects to the client. It is because of this reasons that we fell short of what we should be able to do, and it was not deliberate but we gave our patients less than what they deserved.
According to National Aids Council at least 2 600 people are on ARVs with thousands visiting various health centres through out the country to get HIV tests.
Workers in the health sector, like all other civil servants, are earning less than US$500 per month. As a result of poor remuneration they spend most of their time doing private work to augment their salaries.
Post published in: News