SABC, 2 August 2014

HIV/Aids researchers say primary health care workers need to be taught more about the early symptoms of HIV. This has transpired at an HIV/Aids Symposium in East London.

A 2012 survey revealed that the infection rate stood at 23 % for women and 15% for males. HIV/Aids Researcher David Patient says reducing the window period from three months to two weeks could make a huge difference.

Patient says, "There are very specific symptoms, it is called the acute retro viral syndrome, and those are flu like symptoms, the aching bones, sore throat, the fever and those kinds of things. The difference is there is no mucus, or discharge of any kind and what is happening in the primary health care sector is because the nursing staff has not been trained adequately enough, they are saying to the person you have flu take medication, drink water and go rest."

Patient adds, "That is a window of opportunity for us, during that period to be able to say to the person if you manifest any of these symptoms, or have manifested any of these symptoms you need to come back in a couple of weeks' time so we can retest you."

It is estimated that about 20% of people who have tested HIV positive in rural areas do not stick to their treatment, while the figure for urban areas stands at 50%.

CEO of the SA National Aids Council Fareed Abdullah says that people dropping off treatment is a serious challenge.\

"They stop their treatment, or do not take their pills every day. It is what we call poor adherence and at SANAC together with the Department of Health and provinces we have a number of programs to address this issue."

Source: SABC