Anglo American companies now provide anti retrovirals (ARVs) to their workforce. Judy Madumo spoke to a Scaw Metals worker on ARVs, GiddIes Nala, and Sister Ruth, the sister in charge of the programme.
How was the message that workers can access treatment communicated to them?Sister Ruth: During last year’s World Aids Day in December our main objective was around voluntary counselling and testing (VCT). Anglo American (AA) was concerned about absenteeism and the increased death rate due to ill health.
How has the company overcome the shame that people feel when they come forward for testing or to access treatment?Sister Ruth: All Anglo American clinics provide anti-retrovirals (ARVs). We provide ARVs in the same place as we would provide first-aid. As a result one can not tell that a person is coming for ARVs or for headache pills. It is not like in provincial clinics where they put people according to their health standings – you go this way and you that way. The other thing is that workers do not forfeit their time when they go for their medicals.
Did you know that Scaw Metals could help you deal with your HIV positive status and your worsening state of health?Giddies: It wasn’t Scaw that diagnosed my status. I was in Leratong and was hospitalised from time to time with pneumonia. I took treatment for TB. August 2002 was the last straw, I was this close to dying. There was a suggestion that I take treatment. Scaw issued briefs that AA was prepared to roll out ARVs its employees. I was persuaded to register for treatment.
What is your view on the idea that people should eat food like beetroot, garlic, olive oil and not take ARVs?Giddies: I wouldn’t entertain that one. In fact what made me to come out was because I am talking about something I know, uyangithola. Before I took treatment, my CD4 count was 50 and I was dead. Dead, finish and klaar. I weighed less than 40 kg and now my weight is 73kg. Of course you must eat healthily in fact you must change your lifestyle completely. If you don’t know your status you’d think uyazigulela nje (you are sick for no reason). You continue to smoke, drink and have sex. And yet when you know your status you’ve got a lot of time to yourself. You rest and you exercise and the cherries obajolayo (girlfriends), use protective sex. In fact the money I used to splash on booze, I spend it on making myself look good, as you can see. I never used to look like this during the time I was drinking, I was a shame.
These drugs are said to be toxic and have terrible side effects to a point of death, what’s your experience?Sister Ruth: Which drug has no side effects? As long as patients stick to their treatment and adherence plan. If you don’t adhere to treatment for whatever reason, you’d be put on a different treatment regimen. So the onus lies with you as a recipient of ARVs. For instance if you take your pills during the start of Generations make sure that when there is no Generations that night, you will still remember to take treatment at that point in time. A good support system from family and friends makes things easier and manageable for you.
Because of the stigma, people don’t make efforts to be tested and may not seek treatment until the disease has advanced, what is your advice?Giddies: Stigmatisation, yiyo into enza ukuba abantu bangazi (is what makes people not come) forward. “There is nothing wrong with HIV/Aids,” esinye isithethi sathi (a speaker once said) “there are over 127 viruses like TB etc, so of all of these, lena ye (this) HIV is treated like it is taboo.” I think abantu should form i-club yalababantu (people with Aids) and take the Achilles heel out of the HIV. Stigmatisation was the reason that makes me want to talk and be open about my status. If ngiyafihla (I hide it) I would be selfish because this treatment is working.
Cosatu on AidsWith reports that currently only 60 000 people across the country are on ARVs, Cosatu’s Central Committee demanded that an urgent National HIV and Aids Prevention Summit be called before the end of 2005 to work out a better implementation strategy. It said that it would encourage workers to go for voluntary counselling and testing.
What about those who say that they are bewitched?Sister Ruth: Take a test to tell whether you are negative or positive and stop sniffing like a puppy, sniffing in all directions. If you know your CD4 count, it won’t be easy to just gamble with your life. We tell people to go to their inyangas but they should come back to verify if their muti is helping the levels of their CD4 counts. The same applies to your supplements, take them, but you must come back each time to have your CD4 count checked to assist you to make an informed decision on whether to stick to them or to get ARVs. Is there a message that you want to tell comrades?Giddies: HIV/Aids is sapping the population, young men and women who form the foundation of the labour force. And most die while in the peak of their reproductive years. I appeal to companies to do VCT and then put everyone on treatment. My appeal to AA is that they should extend treatment to our partners as well because it not nice to see someone getting sick and even dying in front of you because they are still queuing and waiting their turn in the clinics to get these life prolonging drugs.
Sister Ruth: You can buy in bulk and pay about +-R1000/person per dosage. And for companies that can not afford, they can do wellness programmes working together with clinics. Including labour it costs about +-R50/to do VCT.
Ukulawula igciwane ngokuthi kususwe igama elibi eliyamaniswa nalo!Hlolwani ukuthi ninalo yini igciwane bese inkampani yelapha bonke labo abadinga ukwelashwa. Lona ngumbiko ka-Giddies Nala oqonde kulabo basebenzi abanegciwane le-HIV, umsebenzi wakwa-Scaw Metals. Usephuze izidambisi ngculazi isikhathi esingaphezu konyaka. Wacishe wafa ngaphambi kokuba aqale ukuziphuza lezi zidambisi gciwane. Isisindo sakhe sasingama-40kg futhi wayengekho emsbenzini egula. Manje usebuyele emsebenzini kanti nesisindo sakhe sekungama-73kg.
Bring die virus onder beheer deur destigmatisering!Laat jouself toets, en kry dan jou maatskappy sover om almal wat dit nodig het, op behandeling te kry. Dít is Giddies Nala, “˜n werker by Scaw Metals, se boodskap aan MIV-positiewe werkers. Hy neem reeds meer as “˜n jaar lank anti-retrovirale middles. Voor hy dit begin neem het, is hy byna oorlede. Hy het 40kg geweeg en was met siekteverlof. Nou is hy terug by die werk en weeg 73 kg.
Ho kgona ho laola kokwanahloko ka ho tlosa sekgobo se tsamaelanang le yona!Etsa diteko e be o etsa hore khampani ya lona e kenye bohle ba batlang kalafong. Ona ke molaetsa o tswang ho mosebeletsi wa Scaw Metals, Giddies Nala ho basebetsi bohle ba nang le HIV. Haesale a ntse a sebedisa dilwantshamahloko tsa di-antiretroviral nakong e ka hodimo ho selemo. Pele a qala ho di sebedisa o ile a batla a hlokahala. Boima ba hae bo ne bo etsa 40kg mme a kula haholo a sa tle mosebetsing. Jwale o kgutlile mosebetsing mme boima ba hae ke 73kg.