Mr. Paul Nabende, 62, has been HIV positive since 2006. Although fit and strong between 2007-2009 and able to look for food and money for himself and his children, he has now weakened so much that he can’t work or afford to feed himself and his family.
Mr. Nabende who lies at Mbale regional hospital is on ARVs but can’t afford the medicine let alone enough nutritious food to boost his body strength to fight the disease.
Mr. Nabende is not alone, there are many HIV positive patients at Mbale TASO sub-region in rural areas who are on ARVs and can’t afford the medicine let alone the food that is required to keep the body strong before taking theARVs.
“As TASO we can’t afford to feed the patients and buy ARVs and we are worried that many of the HIV positive patients are likely to die just because they can’t afford the treatment and nutritious food that the body requires to boost strength and immunity to fight the disease,” said Dr. Jonathan Wangisi, project director for operational research at TASO Eastern region.
Wangisi urged government to put in place a more sustainable plan to ensure food availability for people living with HIV/AIDS in hunger-stricken and drought prone parts of the country.
According to a study conducted this year by the National Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (NACWOLA), The impact of famine on administration of HIV/AIDS treatment, availability and access to adequate food and nutrition is one of the major impediments to HIV/AIDS therapy.
NACWOLA highlights that HIV/AIDS patients in Uganda take their ARV drugs on the understanding that there is food available but famine has destroyed HIV/AIDS treatment trends in the country.
“Nutrition is a key component of HIV/AIDS/TB treatment because it promotes immunity but once hit by food shortage and poverty, the administration of ARVs is likely to face a set back because patients can’t afford enough nutritious food to improve their quality of life in order to fight the disease,” said Ms. Florence Buluba, the Executive Director of NACWOLA Uganda.
Ms Buluba said the food shortage due to unpredictable climate in Uganda has forced many people on ARVs to abandon the drugs due to lack of sufficient nutrition and that many of them are likely to die in their communities.
“We are witnessing a bad scenario where HIV-positive patients in famine-hit areas in the country are abandoning their anti-retroviral regiments and we fear for their lives as poverty and current soaring inflation also hit,” said Ms Buluba.
Ms Buluba who was speaking to the Daily Monitor newspaper by phone on 24 December revealed that unless more food support becomes available to those infected by the HIV virus, the sick would soon be dealing with drug residence and death.
Dr Wangisi says while on ARVs, a patient is expected to eat enough nutritious food in order to boost his/her body strength in order to fight the disease but many patients lack the financial capacity to afford the required foods.
“On top of giving the infected people ARVs to fight the disease, patients need enough nutritious food in order to have the strength to fight on but it is unfortunate that due to climate change, prolonged droughts, poverty, soaring inflation many of the infected people can’t afford the desired food and this is likely to set back the administration of ARVs to some patients,” said Dr. Wangisi.
According to www.health24.com, people living with HIV need a well-balanced diet because it slows down the onset of HIV to Aids and improves the patient’s quality of life but most families can’t afford a balanced diet.
Reports in Eastern region of Uganda, the prolonged dry spell of July through October has withered the region’s traditional crops leaving hundreds of thousands of people hungry, many surviving on bought maize meal rather that a balanced diet which the HIV/Aids patients require.
