HIV testing follow-up needs improvement, says advocate

People living with HIV need better access to testing, follow-up care and education to help prevent further transmission, according to Drug Free World Fiji founder Kalesi Toga Volatabu.

Ms Volatabu claimed that limited follow-up and monitoring by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services were contributing to gaps in the response to HIV.

Her seven years of advocacy on HIV and drug-related issues had given her insight into the challenges, she said.

“I have observed that when people get tested for HIV, they don't go back and get their results,” she said.

Based on her community assessments, Ms Volatabu believed Vanua Levu had more than 300 HIV cases that were not being monitored or followed up.

The figure was her estimate and was not independently verified. She said people who used drugs and were living with HIV needed better access to support and follow-up services.

“For drug users who are HIV contracted, there is a lack of information of their full name, residential address and their daily interactions which slowly leads to spread of HIV to others,” she said.

Ms Volatabu called for changes to the existing system, including a case management approach for people living with HIV, including those who also used drugs.

Her organisation had begun distributing HIV self-test kits around the country in an effort to help address the issue, she said.

Ms Volatabu claimed some people who received HIV test kits from the ministry had not been adequately informed about how to use them.

“People who were provided HIV test kits by the line ministry were not well informed of the procedure on effective usage where they injected the needle, but, did not know its full process of usage,” she said.

She proposed that non-governmental organisations and the ministry introduce a case management plan alongside the distribution of HIV test kits and needle-syringe programme resources.

Ms Volatabu also questioned the effectiveness of free condom distribution without sufficient education on correct use and HIV prevention.

“When free condom distribution was initiated around the country, there was no reduction in HIV case numbers because of limited education on usage and its critical need to reduce HIV risks,” she said.

She said the Government’s recent decision to declare HIV a national crisis should have been made several years earlier.

Centre for Democracy and Dialogue executive director Nilesh Lal also questioned the reach of the Ministry of Health’s public awareness campaigns, saying he believed they were limited.

Mr Lal said videos featuring people who had experienced HIV and drug addiction could help raise awareness if they consented to sharing their stories.

He praised Ms Volatabu for raising awareness about HIV and drug use.

“We need to put pressure on government to enhance its awareness and fight against drug usage limiting HIV case numbers,” he said.

Taveuni Health Centre needs HIV testing supplies

Ms Volatabu claimed a health centre in Taveuni did not have enough HIV testing kits or needles despite requests from people seeking testing.

She said greater willingness among people to seek testing and confirm their HIV status had led to increased requests for testing supplies.

“Our health sector lags in this fight against HIV crisis and serious interventions need to be explored or the HIV cases will become unmanageable,” she said.