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Gauteng hospitals get the ball rolling
01 April 2004. Pretoria News. Republished courtesy of Independent Newspapers (Pty) Ltd.
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Staff at hospitals where free HIV/AIDS drugs will be available from Thursday are excited.
Sister Sue Roberts, co-ordinator of Helen Joseph Hospital's AIDS clinic, said she had been waiting for this for a long time.
For months, she and others like her have had to turn HIV-positive patients needing antiretrovirals (ARVs) away because they could not pay for the life-prolonging treatment.
But on Thursday this comes to an end as the Gauteng health department's roll-out plan swings into action. Helen Joseph is one of five hospitals earmarked for the first phase of the Gauteng's roll-out of the drugs.
The others are Johannesburg Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Coronation Hospital and Pretoria's Kalafong.
"This is an exciting day for us. Morale at the hospitals is high and we expect the day to run smoothly," Gauteng health department spokesperson Popo Maja said.
Kalafong Hospital spokesperson Catherine Tladi said Thursday would be used to prepare patients who are ready to go on drugs.
"Final screening will be done and it is unlikely that any drugs will be dispensed," she said.
Kalafong's AIDS clinic is also normally conducted on Fridays and those ready for drugs will be asked to return on Friday to receive their medication.
"This is to ensure that they will be able to return on the right day for a refill of their prescription," Tladi said. |
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