This is according to the latest quarterly healthcare report that was released on Thursday by Ritshidze, a community-led monitoring system developed by several HIV-related organisations, like the Treatment Action Campaign, Positive Action Campaign, and Positive Women’s Network, among others. About 13 patients, who are receiving HIV treatment, have been turned back because of the unavailability of medicine. According to Ritshidze Project Manager, Mary Nyathi, 50% of the facilities that were reported to have been out of stock by the Facility Manager, were forced to send patients home empty-handed. Meanwhile, the other 50% of patients were able to get alternative medicines.

“The greatest issue is stock-outs of fixed-dose combination antiretroviral medication, which is the first-line ARV treatment. There are different reasons: You find that the facility doesn’t have those combinations, but the district depot has it; then they tell you that there is no vehicle to transport the medicines from the district to the clinic,” said Ritshidze Project Manager, Mary Nyathi.

She said that some of the staff members are agitated because of the pressure that they endure as a result of a lack of resources within the health facilities. Meanwhile, patients have also raised concerns regarding the treatment that they face at health facilities. The 19-year-old Karabelo Kobile, who is a transgender, said that she is now afraid to go to the clinic because of the bad treatment she receives.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi