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.