The Saldanha Bay area has the heaviest antiretroviral treatment (ART) patient load in the Western Cape.
1 December is World Aids Day and in Saldanha Bay area on the West Coast the disease is still posing a serious health risk.
According to the latest statistics from the Western Cape Department of Health AIDS is also still the leading cause of death followed by TB in second place, as far as health goes.
The Community Development Workers Program West Coast is therefore rolling out, together with local government, the traffic department, 4 Special Services and the police, an extensive awareness campaign in Langebaan and Saldanha on Friday 2 December. People will be going door to door to hand out educational packs and there will be loud hailing.
To get a glimpse into the local picture, Weslander spoke to Amanda Mhlawuli, programme manager of the Isibindi Project, a project that focuses on helping orphans and vulnerable children, and Cathy Papier, a Community Health Care coordinator. Both are with Mfesane, a Christian welfare organisation.
Both are happy HIV+ people have better access to anti-retroviral medication (ARVs) and are generally taking better care of themselves. “People are taking their medication more regularly and fewer are bedridden,” says Mhlawuli.
However alcohol and drug abuse are a challenge. “I have noticed where some spend a lot on alcohol, with little left over to buy healthy food,” says Mhlawuli. She works with vulnerable children in Middelpos, Hopefield and Laingville.
Papier says she sees patients who are better because of ARVs, then stop using their medication over the festive season so they can partake in the festivities. This weakens their immune system, which makes them susceptible to diseases such as tuberculosis (TB). She sees this every year in March and April in her work in Hopefield, Langebaan and Vredenburg.
On the positive side the disease is also becoming less stigmatised and people are being taught to treat it as a chronic disease. It also helps that ARVs are now dispensed at municipal clinics instead of ‘ARV stations’, so people feel less exposed in the community.
“If you know of someone who is HIV+, care and support them,” says Yolandi Afrika, Mfesane programme manager. Treat it as a chronic disease and encourage them to take their medication.”
