Spiritual Healers Stopping People From Taking ARVs in Kalomo

SPIRITUAL and traditional healers are reported to have invaded Zimba and Kalomo districts of southern province discouraging People living with HIV from taking Antiretroviral drugs and instead quarantine them in camps for either taking salt water and herbs alongside prayers for them to be healed.

This came to light during a DATF quarterly meeting where stakeholders reported that some parts of Kalomo central constituency in Mukwela area of Kalomo and Luyaba zone in Zimba district have been invaded by some religious SECTS, that have incarcerated people in camps praying for them purporting that their faith would heal them from their ailments.

And the Kalomo District Aids Task Force (KDATF) has since constituted a sub%u2013committee to probe the reported high levels of the existence of such religious sects and individuals in the two districts.

Task force chairperson, Joseph Kaluwe said while an individual has the right to seek medication of his or her own choice, it is important for the committee to go flat out to curb the practice in an effort to ensure that PLHIV are protected from taking such risky options against treatment of opportunistic infections caused by HIV.

The stakeholders observed that most PLHIV were abandoning being on Antiretroviral treatment (ART) in preference to either going for traditional healers or spiritual healers with the hope of getting healed.

And the stakeholders observed that the reported rationing of the ART drugs from a three months to one month supply to People Living with HIV might have contributed to the development, taking into consideration the long distances and economic expenses attached for the travel expenses to access the services at the few Art centres in the two districts.

However, district medical officer, Kenneth Chibwe said the ART drug stocks were intact apart from clients whose regime contains Nevirapine which he said was not adequate which is being rationed to a one month supply in order to cater for all People Living with HIV in that category awaiting the situation to normalize .

Dr.Chibwe allayed all the fears among ART clients saying the situation was normal and should not deter them from accessing the services they used to enjoy at their respective health facilities.

Over 5,800 people are currently on ART with the Network of People Living with HIV (NZP ) having established 121 support groups in the two districts.

Meanwhile, some traditional healers are reported to be
administering crocodile fat and salt water to People Living with HIV as a remedy to reduce the viral load.

Posted by Editor on June 19, 2013. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry