Durban — KwaZulu-Natal has urged people living with HIV not to stop taking their treatment. Speaking at the latest episode of Health Chat DotGov hosted by Ntokozo Maphisa on Friday, Dr Nomzamo Huwa, a medical doctor at Inanda Community Health Centre, highlighted the topic’s challenges.
A Health Chat viewer, Njabulo Sbobozane Mabika from Hluhluwe, put a question to the head of KZN Health, Dr Sandile Tshabalala, about why the government does not end HIV. He also said many people have claimed to be experiencing “treatment fatigue”.
Tshabalala said that viral infections do not go away after taking treatment over time, they can only be suppressed, and such can be said of HIV.
He emphasised the importance of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent infections. PrEP is an HIV medicine taken to reduce the chances of getting HIV infection.
He said the chances of HIV, STIs and mpox being combated will come to nothing if people still engage in unprotected intercourse and risky sexual behaviours with multiple partners.
“The most important aspect of ending HIV is prevention,” he said.
Dr Huwa said treatment fatigue is when the patient grows tired of taking their medication.
She said this could be due to the patient not accepting their status, or some have not disclosed their status to their families and have difficulty taking their medication discreetly.
Some patients have taken their treatment for many years and feel healthy and fit, she said. That is when they decide to stop taking medication.
The gap in taking medication would cause the virus to multiply.
“This would be dangerous to you and those around you as the risk of infection is high. It could also make it harder to treat once you go back on to the medication,” Dr Huwa said.
She encouraged patients who have stopped taking their medication to not be afraid of going back to health facilities to resume their medication.
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