More people with HIV resume usage of ARVs

Former President Ally Hassan Mwinyi

The rise in the number of orphans in the country has prompted former President Ally Hassan Mwinyi to urge for volunteer assistance to vulnerable children and orphans regardless by al Tanzanians regardless of working position and financial status.

Mwinyi made remarks on Sunday in Dar es Salaam at the Iftar function (“break the fast”) prepared by a host of The Mboni Show TV programe aired by EATV, Mboni Masimba for at least 190 vulnerable children from the Orphanage centers of Boko and Vingunguti based in the city.

He said every child has the right to live in good environment, so members in society has huge responsibility to ensure security of vulnerable children is in their hands through material and moral support.

“These are our children; we should individually or in groups take care of them according to our capability because helping them doesn’t need rich people with lots of money, am very proud of a “young lady” Mboni for put the vulnerable children into consideration and joined us here today to share the Futar that she prepared for them” he said.

The Former president applauded Mboni and encouraged her to not stop there but do have the same spirit of helping people in need, her idea was the sign of deepest love among her fellow Tanzanians and she intended to build the brotherhood among them.

Chief Sheikh of Dar es Salaam Al-had Mussa Salum said, “bringing us together here apart of being a good thing will also strengthen our unity as Tanzanians, we will this opportunity to pray for the county’s peace”.

For her part, Mboni Masimba thanked all people participated to the function and urged other people to show love to the special groups of people especially the innocent vulnerable children and orphans who in one way or another they lack parental affection.

“Am not a rich person but it gives me strength to give back to the society through this occasion, I thought that this period of Fasting will be for me to do something thus why I did this just to make the children happy, this group of 190 children came from the children centers the ones that am working with,” she said.

The function was also attended by the former UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-rose Migiro, chairperson of the Tanzania's Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) Judge Amir Manento, Ilala Municipal Council Major Jerry Slaa, Kinondoni Municipal Council Major Yusuph and The National Convention for Construction and Reform–Mageuzi (NCCR–Mageuzi) Chairman James Mbatia.

More people with HIV resume usage of ARVs

HIV/AIDS peer educator Esther Rodrick, who is living with HIV, shakes hands with Tanga Cement managing director Reinhart Swart when the company handed over 900 T-shirts worth 11 million/- .

At least 2,000 people living with HIV/Aids who had stopped using anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) have resumed taking the medication after counselling by peer educators.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam when receiving peer educators’ uniforms donated by Tanga Cement Company Limited (TCCL) early this week, Tanzania Health Promotion Support (THPS) executive director, Dr Redempta Mbatia said 1,752 people living with HIV/Aids have resumed use of ARVs.

“Last year, peer educators managed to reach 14,380 targeted people and those who live with HIV/Aids in Coast region. That was a milestone in our efforts to reduce the habit of people unceremoniously abandoning use of ARVs,” she said.

The uniforms worth 11m/- were handed over to THPS by TCCL Acting Managing Director, Mr Reinhardt Swart, who said that they would allow peer educators to be easily identified, hence work more efficiently.

More than 900 peer educators under THPS will benefit through the donation and use the uniforms when rendering their services to people living with the virus, through 276 hospitals, dispensaries and health centres in Dar es Salaam, Coast and Mtwara regions.

Dr Mbatia said the peer educators, who are also HIV victims, work as volunteers where there are few or no health service providers, educating new HIV victims and counseling them.

“We work with them in order to reduce AIDs prevalence, new cases, stigma and fear among those in need of health services and assistance. These peer educators also receive people who need to have HIV tests, advice them and give them directions where to get proper services and when, while they do also assist health providers,” she said.

For his part, the peer educators’ representative from Mara, Fred Masondele said the uniforms supported by TCCL, apart from being used to easily identify them at their work places; will also give positive vision to the society.

“By wearing these uniforms, it will be easy for people needing our services to face us and we will also be respected in our streets,” said Masondele.
He urged the community to accept them in their midst and understand that they are members of society who need to share with them their experience of living with the virus.