HIV and ARVs in the SADC area.

I have just read an article on Zimbabwe HIV patients and have felt I need to air my views on the subject. This is a note I sent to the writer.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-aidsdrugs30dec30,1,1992841.story?track=rss

"Zimbabwe's AIDS patients in an endless line for drugs"
By Robyn Dixon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 30, 2007
"Zimbabwe's AIDS patients in an endless line for drugs"

Dear Robyn
I am responding to your article about Zimbabwe. I am not as educated as you are nor will I have the chance to make progress, since I am also HIV positive. I have written many articles about ARVs. My view is that they make the situation a lot worse. You see, the government, the media, the medical profession and indeed the public, must all fight for compulsory testing and issue of cards. Red card for positive and green card for negative, followed by three monthly testing for all green card holders.

ARVs are useless unless the whole nation starts working together to change attitudes about the spread of HIV. An invigorated male (ARV) will start again to have unprotected sex, because he has the energy to do so. His attitude is the same and there is nothing to stop him. HIV is spread by men in Zimbabwe and its them who need to know that there is a system in place which can categorically determine that they had HIV before the wife did. A three monthly test will pick that up. It will also make people think about HIV more.

If this was Ebola, we would all be having tests. What is the deal with HIV? Its killing up to 4000 per week each week. Look at the cemeteries and family grave yards. What nation allows that to happen? I was a sex worker in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, Namibia, UK, USA, Australia. At times I have had more than 15 men per day. You can not begin to calculate how many men I have had sex with and at least 20% or so refused to use condoms. Imagine the figures when I found I was HIV positive.

Now imagine it if I had had a compulsory test at adulthood and carried a red card. All a man had to ask for is my card and then decide whether to have sex with me or not.

I am sure you understand what I am getting at and you know I am right. Before that can happen, all talk of ARVs or any other medicines, traditional or not, is a total waste of time, and the graves will continue to increase.

You work in the media, you can help formulate a sensible approach to HIV. Bill Clinton agrees with me, Ask him is you do not believe me. Governments must regulate sex in all its forms. Mbeki was criticised for refusing to intervene with ARVs, I have always thought he was right. Either regulate and treat or do nothing. Those are the only two options and he chose the cheaper. I am on ARVs myself but I pay for them myself. I have a very healthy bank account and an income from property I bought while working.

The tax payer should not foot the pleasure bill for someone who is likely to keep having sex with no protection. That is not good national investment.

I thank you for reading
Sincerely

Instant
Have a happy New Year.