The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
IN the protracted fight against HIV/Aids, health experts recommend consistent and correct intake of life saving Antiretrovirals (ARVs) drugs for anyone initiated on treatment. Patients are also encouraged to always access their drugs timeously and not wait until a time they run out.
However, the coronavirus pandemic has unsettled many locals especially those that are living outside the country and were relying heavily on cross-border transporters (omalayitsha) and long-distance buses to transport the drugs from Zimbabwe to South Africa and other neighbouring countries where they are based.
People living with HIV who moved to South Africa seeking greener pastures have been getting their medication consistently from the transporters. But since the announcing of the lockdown on either side of the border, life has taken a twist for some who were due to replenish their supplies as there was a ban on all non-essential transport services following the closure of borders. One such affected person is Ms Langalethu Mathe who has been living with HIV for the past 11 years and is based in South Africa.
“When I moved to South Africa, I would come back home to collect my drugs but as time went on, I could not come as much, so I was introduced to a transporter who picks up my drugs from my family in Tshabalala (Bulawayo) and brings them to me in Johannesburg. But since lockdown was announced there was no time to get more supplies and we do not know when there will be an ease in travelling and I am left with just a few tablets.
“When I left for South Africa all was in place and I could access the drugs from the hospital via my sister who collects on my behalf. I then come down a few times a year for check-ups with the hospital as they encourage us to come and consult since we are staying far away,” said Ms Mathe.
Just like Ms Mathe, other Zimbabweans who have managed to access drugs through the South African health system are finding the going tough.
“We are working as house helpers and garden boys and are taking ARVs. The problem is that when the lockdown was announced in South Africa our employers gave us options to either leave and not come back or stay until the situation is under control. Their fears being that leaving the premises would expose them to the virus, but the challenge is that some of us have run out of their ARVs and are not able to leave their places of work as we risk losing their jobs.
“At the same time it is not very easy to disclose your status to the employer so that you are given time to visit clinics to get drugs because in such a situation one will be forced to explain why they desperately need to go to a hospital and that means revealing my status. So many people are scared to speak out,” said Ms Magrette Moyo from her South African base.
She said they were in a catch 22 situation as they were not ready to lose their jobs and come back home.
“It is not an easy one, we need the jobs. I for one take my children to school using money earned working as a house helper. If I decide to leave and go to the hospital I cannot come back and work as there are fears that I may contract coronavirus and spread it to my employer’s family. It is so painful because I will go for days without medication and that has a negative effect on my health,” she said.
Ms Samukele Favoured Mpala, a businesswoman who also works with migrant women in South Africa however, painted a different picture saying the amount the migrants from Zimbabwe that she has worked with, hardly come forward sharing their stories with regards to ARVs.
“The women do not want to come forward with such stories; they choose to suffer in silence. We wanted to create a database to see how many people are affected so that they try and get the drugs here in South Africa, but the challenge that we faced is that no one came forward but we hear their pleas on social media daily. We actually wanted to approach the minister of health this side and present their case but it is impossible when we do not have a database with all requisite details.
“One challenge that we have recorded is that some people who will have been initiated on ARVs back in Zimbabwe approach hospitals with their drugs that will be running out seeking a refill but without much supporting details such as medical records. Usually they are denied access as there is a lot of scepticism from health workers who do not trust their word. This is worsened by the fact that there will be an assumption that they are collecting these ARVs to make illegal drugs,” she said.
This, she said, was leading to a lot of people defaulting leading to severe complications and eventually premature death.
“People will just default if they have no access to medication; it’s a serious challenge because they do need the jobs, that is what we came here for,” she said.
Ms Mpala said it was also disheartening and confusing that people still chose to access their ARVs back in Zimbabwe when they are now based in South Africa.
“I do not know the reason why people still choose to collect their drugs from back home, maybe it is because of the treatment that these migrant people get at hospitals in South Africa but for others they are still embarrassed over their condition such that they prefer to bear the burden of accessing the drugs back home at a cost,” she said.
Mr Mthabisi Ncube who is a cross-border transporter, acknowledged that they were in the business of carrying drugs to the neighbouring country.
“We do carry ARVs to our clients in South Africa, they depend on us to bring them in for them, but the coronavirus saw us failing to do that and some have actually run out, which is a problem. People have already started defaulting and it is not a secret, but a painful reality,” he added.
He added that carrying the drugs across the border was also a risky business.
“Some transporters have been found with the ARVs and arrested because border officials will be assuming they are involved in illicit activities with the drugs while they will genuinely be taking them to their clients,” he added.
The National Aids Council in Zimbabwe encouraged people to stock up on their medications until a time when the coronavirus is contained.
