Thursday, December 04, 2008

Hope

Hope for HIV positive patients.

The Star, 4th Dec 2008.
Less than 7.6% or 6,207 patients received HAART treatment.

I am rather surprise.

Six years ago, a young man died of HIV in my hospital. The wife was diagnosed HIV positive as well later after been screened. She lost her factory job and then been shunned by relatives and friends in her village.

One day on follow up, I picked up the phone and refer her to the ID clinic in a tertiary hospital for further management.

The medical officer told me over the phone, " You counsel and treat the patient in your centre first. If she can afford HAART, then only refer to us".

Years have past, we are now glad that first line HAART is available free to all in the government hospitals.

Salute to the ID physicians for all the hard work, who have been seeing and treating these patients without prejudice.




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