Hatari! Makahaba 100 walio na HIV wakataa kutumia ARVs wakiendesha shughuli zao za kila siku

Mashirika ya kijamii kaunti ya Mombasa sasa yanahofia kuwa huenda idadi ya maambukizi ya virusi vya ukimwi ukanda huo ikaongezeka kutokana na hatua ya makahaba 100 eneo hilo kukataa kutumia dawa za kupunguza makali ya virusi hivyo za ARVs wakati wa kuendesha biashara zao za kila siku.

Nkoko Iju Africa, shirika lisilo la serikali kaunti ya Mombasa, limesema kuwa chini ya miezi 3, idadi ya makahaba wanaochukua dawa hizo imepungua hali ambayo huenda ikafanya idadi ya maambukizi kuongezeka.

Marilyne Laini, ambaye ni mkurugenzi mkuu wa shirika hilo amesema kuwa asilimia kubwa ya makahaba eneo hilo wameacha kutumia dawa hizo baada ya kushiriki kwa biashara zao, jambo ambalo anasema limechangiwa na masharti makali yaliyowekwa na serikali.

“We are worried that the sex workers who have stopped taking ARVs would have higher viral loads, consequently increasing chances of infecting their clients,” “At least 100 commercial sex workers, whom we had registered for our ARVs programme, have stopped taking the drugs,” Laini

Laini amesema miongoni mwa vigezo vinavyostahili kufuatwa wakati wa kutumia dawa hizo za ARVs, ni sharti mwathiriwa ale vizuri.

“With the current economic hardship wrought by COVID-19, most sex workers cannot afford three meals a day. And, because the drugs could leave you drowsy if you take them on an empty stomach, most sex workers have resorted to abandoning their prescriptions,”  Laini.