HIV Support Group

This week I attended a support group at Kalinglinga Clinic where approximately fourteen attendees who were all HIV positive discussed their current situation and answered questions for us.  To put into context the problem out here; 200 people a week are dying of AIDS, there are 710,000 AIDS orphans in Zambia and the average life expectancy is 40 years old. 

One patient described to us that there is still a large amount of stigma attached to people living with HIV/AIDS.  They explained that this can lead to people having to travel substantial distances to receive treatment and counselling at a clinic they feel comfortable at.  It is a sad fact that people still cannot confront the issues in their own community and feel they have to travel into an area where they are unknown. 

Also, although all clearly stated that ARV drugs were technically available, the group described the situation that many faced in reality due to economic restraints.  As the numbers of patients who require the drugs is huge it creates large queues at the hospital which some people cannot unfortunately afford to wait in.   Financial and social restrictions mean that there has to be priorities and regrettably these are not always the attainment of ARV’s.

The group also stressed the need for further education and then empowerment so women can adhere to the sexual and social practices they have been taught.  Many women still feel unable to refuse to unprotected sex with their partners.

Sport in Action (SIA), one of the NGO’s I’m working with, work with the clinic to try and provide counselling for people affected with the virus.  SIA also introduced exercise into the programme which has ‘helped to provide a distraction’ from the burdens of everyday life.  It also contributes to the prevention of one of the side affects of the ARV’s.  The patients described symptoms such as weight gain, visible veins, pain in their legs and itching.    The clinic also has the outreach programme where it goes door-to-door to provide testing for HIV and invites people to their clinic for treatment or counselling or they provide information on medical services which would be more appropriate for their needs.

These are all positive steps however there is still undoubtedly lots more to be done.  One gentleman who was attending informed us of the religious influence that falls upon the community.  He explained the harrowing message that some Catholic organisation are still spreading; that if you believe in the faith you will be cured.  The man fully understood that this was preventing contraception from being used as a rule of sexual relations.  His belief was that even Pastors needed re-educating so they can teach modern scientific knowledge alongside religious values. 

Men, Women and children need to be educated so they can make informed and safe decisions.  It is also imperative that the social and economic realities of the individual country are considered when planning programmes to educate on such issues.  There is no point in having numerous human rights laws there to protect people if the reality is that they cannot actually help themselves in their daily lives.