THE KZN Health Department is ready to implement its new test and treat policy for all HIV-positive patients in the province.
The World Health Organisation has said that early anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment will greatly benefit people infected by the virus.
This means all HIV-infected people will get ARVs regardless of their CD4 count.
Of 3,4 million people who are HIV-positive in South Africa, 1,1 million live in KZN.
KZN health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo spoke at KwaDabeka Community Health Centre, west of Durban, on Thursday.
“The national department of health emphasised that the implementation of the new policy will contribute to the National Development Plan’s goal of increasing citizens’ life expectancy to at least 70 years by 2030.”
He said people diagnosed with HIV can live long and healthy lives once they are on ARV medication.
“The health department in KZN is in a good position because it has trained many nurses to administer ARVs.
“The size of the task at hand is such that we cannot only rely on doctors to provide the treatment and monitoring of patients.”
He said the department is aware that the new policy is going to result in more HIV-positive people getting treatment, and this might lead to overcrowding and increased waiting times at health facilities.
“To decrease the burden on patients and health facilities, the department has initiated a process of transferring stable patients to support groups.
“They’ll make use of a system that will facilitate the distribution and dispensing of chronic medicine.
“Patients will be able to choose where their medication should be sent, for example to clinics which are close to their homes.”
Dhlomo called upon all patients who tested HIV-positive in the past but did not receive treatment to come forward so they can start receiving ARVs.
People can join the programme even if their CD4 count is over 500.
