The council integrated HIV care coordinator, Sithokozile Hove, told journalists at a press briefing last week that the council had managed to contain HIV and Aids with 84 per cent of patients who have commenced anti retroviral treatment (ART) remaining alive, while 12 per cent died during their first six months of treatment as from last year to June this year
The council has over 15 000 patients on treatment from the ART centres situated in 11 council clinics, namely Emakhandeni, Entumbane, Khami, Luveve, Magwegwe, Mzilikazi, Nketa, Nkulumane, Northern suburbs, Pelandaba and Pumula .
The council is also running a TB treatment pilot project at selected where 1 422 patients have enrolled so far.
Our clinics have recorded a 100 per cent uptake by June 2010 where 84 per cent of our patients have remained alive in their first six months of commencing treatment.
However, the council health department still has the challenge of patients who stop taking ART for various reasons like religious beliefs and side effects.
Besides the higher percentage of patients responding to ART, councils success is measurable through its decentralisation of services to primary health care level carried out during the course of the year where the council involved the community through TB and HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns as well as two weekly staff lectures at pilot sites with doctors and nurses to strengthen case management of patients.
Post published in: Analysis