Varsity students struggle to get ARVs

UNIVERSITY students have urged the Ministry of Health and Child Care to allow clinics at institutions of higher learning to administer anti-retroviral therapy (ART), saying there was a high default rate among them due to lack of the service on campus.

Speaking at an ART advocacy meeting organised by SayWhat yesterday, students from different colleges and universities said they were facing challenges in accessing treatment at institutions of higher learning.

SayWhat is a non-governmental organisation that provides a platform for students at tertiary institutions to discuss their sexual and reproductive challenges.

Universities and colleges in the country have clinics but their nurses are not trained to administer ART to patients living with HIV and Aids, the students added.

The meeting, which was held under the theme 'Providing ART for all students', was attended by MPs, health experts as well as tertiary students who said failure to access ART makes them feel discriminated against.

"I want to appeal to the government to allow college clinics to administer ART to students living with HIV.

"Most of us come from different towns to pursue our studies at these institutions. When we try to access ART from the local clinics we're told to go back where we were initiated," said a Hillside Teachers' College student from Mberengwa.

She said due to the prevailing economic situation, it was difficult for students to travel frequently to access ART.

"I'm a student at Hillside, but I was initiated for ART in Mberengwa. I failed to access medication because I was told I had to go back to Mberengwa. I spent some time raising the money and eventually travelled to Mberengwa. Unfortunately, when I got there, the nurses told me they were out of supply. I had to come back to Bulawayo empty handed," she added.

The student said she informed the nurse at the college that she was stranded and efforts were made for her to get the medication.

"My plea to the government is for ART to be readily available at universities and colleges all the time.

"These are some of the challenges that defeat the purpose of getting tested. There is no reason why I should be tested for HIV if I can't access the medication," said the student.

Another said it was important for health institutions to provide people with six-month supply of the drug as most people were too busy to visit hospitals regularly.

"Zimbabweans living with HIV and based in South Africa and other neighbouring countries are being supplied with drugs for six months. We also want the same service because we're equally busy and can't afford to be travelling every now and then," said the student.

"It's sad that I had to bribe someone at the clinic to get my medication. Why should I be punished for transferring from one place?"

The chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health, Ruth Labode said a user friendly system must be introduced at institutions of higher learning.

"I'm shocked that this is happening at our clinics. Such cases must be investigated so that we map the way forward and introduce a more friendly system for our students. This is a problem that needs to be corrected," said Labode.

Representatives' from the Ministry of Health and Child Care said it was sometimes difficult for them to give six-months supply of drugs to patients due to limited stocks and drugs' short shelf lives.