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Kids ditch ARVs
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The National Aids Council (NAC) has raised concern over a growing trend of HIV-positive children abandoning their medication, a development that health experts warn is putting young lives at risk.
The issue, described as treatment fatigue, was highlighted during the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province 3rd Quarter Provincial Development Committee meeting held on Monday.
NAC Bulawayo provincial acting manager, Douglas Moyo, said many children stop taking their antiretroviral (ARV) drugs because parents and guardians fail to explain why the treatment is necessary.
"We have noticed a growing trend where children stop taking their ARVs simply because they are not told the reasons for taking the medication," Moyo said. "We are talking about kids as young as five years old who grow tired of taking ARVs. Clinic records will show the medication is being collected on time, but the reality is that the children are simply not taking it."
Statistics presented at the meeting painted a grim picture. In 2024 alone, 77,250 adolescents aged between 10 and 19 were recorded as HIV positive, with 36,726 males and 40,424 females. During the same year, 1,344 deaths were registered, almost evenly split between boys and girls.
Health officials are now urging parents and guardians to have open discussions with children about their HIV status and the importance of adherence to treatment, warning that silence and stigma are costing young lives.
The issue, described as treatment fatigue, was highlighted during the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province 3rd Quarter Provincial Development Committee meeting held on Monday.
NAC Bulawayo provincial acting manager, Douglas Moyo, said many children stop taking their antiretroviral (ARV) drugs because parents and guardians fail to explain why the treatment is necessary.
"We have noticed a growing trend where children stop taking their ARVs simply because they are not told the reasons for taking the medication," Moyo said. "We are talking about kids as young as five years old who grow tired of taking ARVs. Clinic records will show the medication is being collected on time, but the reality is that the children are simply not taking it."
Statistics presented at the meeting painted a grim picture. In 2024 alone, 77,250 adolescents aged between 10 and 19 were recorded as HIV positive, with 36,726 males and 40,424 females. During the same year, 1,344 deaths were registered, almost evenly split between boys and girls.
Health officials are now urging parents and guardians to have open discussions with children about their HIV status and the importance of adherence to treatment, warning that silence and stigma are costing young lives.
Source - B-Metro
