Persons Living with HIV/AIDS in Eastern Region cry for Anti-Retroviral drugs

Persons Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWAs), in the Eastern Region have appealed for anti-retroviral drugs to save them from the complications of the infection.

According to members of the Mathew 25 House, an HIV and AIDS Care Centre, in Koforidua, regular supplies of the anti-retroviral drugs from the Koforidua Regional Hospital and Agormanya Hospital had been delayed for the past three months.

The situation, according to the members, was resulting in a relapse of their health and other serious complications because they needed a daily dose to maintain the condition since there was no cure yet.

Speaking at their Monthly Welfare Meeting with the Founder and Director of the House, Monsignor Bobby Benson, some of the PLWAs explained that instead of the anti retroviral drugs they had known and used for years, they were being given some other alternatives or septrin.

There was a somber mood at the House during the meeting, as two members of the House had died in the last two weeks from complications.

Only a two-week supplies instead of the three months, had been provided, according to the members, who also said, those supplies were different from the ones they had used for more than 10 years thus the complications.

The members said the anti-retroviral was their lifeline, therefore, any shortage in the supplies meant a death warrant and appealed to the Government to bring the needed intervention.

Monsignor Benson expressed worry about the situation and appealed to the authorities to resolve the problem.

The Mathew 25 House has for the past 12 years been a safe haven providing shelter, clothing, food, healthcare and education for many PLWAs, their children and orphans of those who had died.

Currently, the centre caters for over 200 PLWAs coming from the length and breadth of the Region, 94 orphans and vulnerable children at various stages of education from the kindergarten through the tertiary.

Source: GNA