Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. By James Muonwa, Mashonaland West Correspondent – PEOPLE Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are reportedly facing the risk of contracting Covid-19 while seeking anti-retroviral (ARVs) drugs at crowded health facilities.
The same health centres are also serving as vaccination centres.
Pan African Positive Women Coalition (PAPWC) Zimbabwe chapter director, Tendai Westerhof, has raised concerns over the huge turnout of people at Covid-19 vaccination centres leaving PLWHA exposed to getting infected with the coronavirus.
There has been a high demand for Covid-19 inoculation since the outbreak of the third wave.
“There are large crowds of people coming to Covid-19 vaccination centres at major hospitals such as Parirenyatwa and other clinics, with some waking up very early to queue, but unfortunately by that time there won’t be anyone to enforce Covid-19 prevention and containment protocols such as social distancing,” Westerhof told NewZimbabwe.com.
“Nurses don’t normally start work at 8 am, and when they start serving clients around 10:30 am, there is a rush to meet daily vaccination targets, and due to the vaccine handling measures, they prioritise those who come for jabs.
“We hear nurses then force PLWHA seeking medication to sit on crowded benches while they wait to be attended to. So, our members are spending inordinate periods at health centres exposing them to Covid-19 infection.”
Westerhof added some hospitals and clinics were turned into Covid-19 isolation and treatment centres and patients continue visiting to replenish their ARV stocks, thereby increasing risks of catching the disease.
“It becomes very risky for them to frequent these clinics. That is why we have been advocating for patients to be given six months supply of ARVs.
This reduces the traffic to and fro clinics.
“PLWHA are vulnerable aboard public transport vehicles, as some operators are not observing rules. We are still seeing people walking around without wearing face masks as if things are okay, yet people are being infected and are dying every day.”
The HIV/AIDS advocated then called for the dispensation of ARVs supplies to six months per patient.
“Some private health centres have adopted the policy of giving clients six months supplies, but some are issuing drugs enough to last three or four months only. At least, this reduces chances of people getting Covid-19 and it also cuts on travel expenses in light of increased fares and transport shortages,” said the renowned HIV/AIDS activist.
