Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
 |
New Vision (Kampala) - December 2, 2002
Joan Mugenzi
Anti-retroviral drugs are a cocktail of drugs that HIV positive people take to inhibit the progress of the virus in the body.
Other than take these drugs, all James does is have a good nutrition, exercise and focus on his spiritual life. He is healthy and there is nothing to even suggest that he has the virus.
"I have told my psychologist that my spiritual life is what has kept me going.
What I think about is what goes down. Many people with the virus contemplate on death, but I have chosen not to. For the last two years I haven't had any huge medical problems. Stress is what burns me out because I am hardworking," he told journalists.
The journalists from Africa were attending a workshop on HIV/AIDS reporting in Eastern and Southern Africa. The workshop was organised by the International Institute for Journalism and InWent Capacity Building International, Germany.
A number of journalists thought that once somebody tests HIV positive, then they should begin taking anti-retroviral drugs.
Talking to journalists about the drugs, Dr Regina Gorgen, an expert on sexual, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS, said anti-retroviral drugs are one answer, but not the best especially if the basics are not meant.
While dealing with positive living, Dr Gorgen identified three levels of care, which anybody with HIV ought to adhere to.
The first level deals with positive living. At this stage, a person living with HIV/AIDS needs to have food, housing, basic medicine, love and schooling. She noted that at this stage, family members and society play can play a crucial role.
The second level of care is where treatment for opportunistic infections comes in. According to Gorgen, "this level only makes sense when the first level of care is organised. Drugs work hand-in-hand with food."
The third level of care, Gorgen said, is where the anti-retroviral drugs come in. "There is no use of giving anti-retrovirals if you can't treat opportunistic infections and you cannot provide food."
The anti-retroviral drugs are administered when the CD4 count for a PWA is low. CD4 count is a measurement carried out to find how strong one's immune system is or how weak it is.
"The fight for anti-retroviral drugs alone is the wrong battle, yet this is what many people shout about. This is a wrong approach," said Gorgen.
"Level one and two are what give HIV positive people years and years of life," she stressed.
Phumla Mkhize, a journalist with the Sowetan Sunday World in Johannesburg, South Africa, said: "It is interesting to learn that anti-retrovirals are not the only answer."
Gorgen said that for as long as one tests HIV positive, the basic rule is to have a balanced nutrition that comprises of carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins and also treat any opportunistic infections.
In Uganda, anti-retrovirals go for between sh55,000 and sh500,000 per month, depending on the drug combination.
021202
NV021201
Copyright © 2002 - The New Vision. All articles are republished on AEGIS by permission. Material may not be redistributed, posted to any other location, published or used for broadcast without written authorization from Managing Director/Editor-in-chief, The New Vision, P.O. Box 9815, Kampala - Uganda, Tel/fax: 256-41-235221, E-mail: wpike@newvision.co.ug.
AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, iMetrikus, Inc., John M. Lloyd Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .