Mozambique: Seven million meticais for HIV/AIDS in Manica province

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Mozambique: Seven million meticais for HIV/AIDS in Manica province

11:43 CAT | 10 Jun 2022

FILE - Executive Secretary of the Manica Provincial AIDS Council, Admira Chitsumba. ]File photo: Cpcs Manica on Facebook]

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is investing seven million meticais (about 109,000 dollars) to improve assistance for HIV/AIDS patients in the central Mozambican province of Manica.

The information was revealed on Wednesday by the Executive Secretary of the Manica Provincial AIDS Council, Admira Chitsumba, who told AIM that the programme will last for nine months, covering Vanduzi, Báruè, Manica, and Mossurize districts, and the provincial capital, Chimoio city

“We prioritize local solutions to the problems that people with HIV/AIDS face within communities or even in health facilities. First is necessary to identify the challenges that these people face during treatment of the disease. Our community organizations are working on the problems to bring solutions”, said Chitsumba,

The Executive Secretary explained that “the solution to these problems is brought by the communities. It is an activity that has the support of some activists who are our strong arm in this action of responding to the concerns of the patients.”

Each of us, she stressed, must be part of the problem and work to find solutions, because “we want people living with HIV/AIDS to go to health facilities for safe treatment. In the health facilities we have activists who work with the patients.”

“Our activists go to the communities to identify and ensure retention in treatment of people suffering from the disease. The results of this work are satisfactory, judging by the number of people who have returned to treatment”, she added.

According to Chtsumba, the retention of HIV positive people on treatment is implemented to individuals who, for whatever reason, abandon antiretroviral treatment. Some abandon treatment due to long distances they travel to reach the nearest health facility. The resulting complications can lead to death.

“We are making patients realize the importance of following treatments correctly to avoid serious complications”, said Chitsumba.

Updated figures made available by the Provincial AIDS Council indicate that antiretroviral treatment currently covers more than 150,000 patients. According to the latest statistics available, 13.5 per cent of the Manica population aged between 15 and 49 is HIV-positive.

Source: AIM