Monday, April 29, 2013

Nani anaweza kuambukizwa Virusi vya UKIMWI?



Na Mwandishi Maalum

Nembo ya mapambano dhidi ya VVU
Mtu yeyote aweza kuambukizwa kwani Virusi vya UKIMWI havichagui. Mtoto, kijana, mzee, mwanamke, mwanamume, tajiri, masikini, mnene, kimbaumbau, msomi na siye msomi, wote wanaweza kuambukizwa.

Kuna makundi katika jamii ambayo kutokana nasababu mbalimbali, yapo katika hatari kubwa zaidi ya kuambukizwa. Makundi hayo ni pamoja na wanafunzi ambao huperembwa na watu wazima kwa imani kuwa hawajaambukizwa.

Pia wanafunzi wanaobalehe/kuvunja ungo wakiwa shule na ambao mara nyingi hushawishika kujaribu kukidhi matamanio ya kimwili. Pia wanaopata taarifa potofu kutoka kwa wanafunzi wenzao kuhusu masuala ya uzazi na maumbile yao.

Vijana walio n-nje ya shule pia wako hatarini kwa kutopata elimu rasmi kuhusu jinsia zao na UKIMWI au wanaopata taarifa potofu kutoka kwa wenzao. Kwa vile hawako shuleni, baadhi yao huwa tayari wana majukumu ya kifamilia na wakati mwingine hujikuta wakishawishiwa na wenzao kuingia katika tabia hatarishi.

Wanaotumia vileo pia wako hatarini kwani wakati mwingine huchangia sindano na wanapokuwa wamelewa hushindwa kudhibiti tamaa za mwili hivyo hufanya ngono bila kinga. Aidha watu wenye wapenzi wengi si rahisi kwao kuhakikisha kamawapenzi wao wote ni waaminifu.

Wanaotegemea ngono kukidhi mahitaji yao (wanawake) pia wapo hatarini kwani hawana sauti juu ya namna ya kujamiiana.Kadhalika wanaofanya kazi zinazowalazimu kuwa mbali na familia zao kwa muda mrefu wapo hatarini. Watu wa kundi hili ni kama wavuvi, wanaofanya kazi migodini, madereva wa malori ya safari ndefu n.k. hukumbana na vishawishi vingi wanapokuwa mbali na wenzi wao.

Ngoma za usiku, magulio na minada ni baadhi ya matukio yanayoambatana na vishawishi vingi, hali ambayo huweza kuwaweka watu wanaozunguka maeneo hayo katika hatari ya kuambukizwa.

Kinachotakiwa ni kuacha ngono na kuwa mwaminifu kwa mpenzi mmoja aliyepima baada ya wewe pia kupima. Au tumia kondomu kwa usahihi katika kila tendo la ngono. Wewe ndiwe mwenye mamlaka na mwili wako na jukumu la kujilinda liko mikononi mwako. Kwa hiyo lazima uwe mlinzi wa kwanza wa afya yako. Hakuna anayeweza kuilinda afya yako kulikowewe mwenyewe. Pamoja na jukumu hilo, kila mmoja anapaswa kumlinda mwenziye dhidi ya maambukizi.

Magonjwa ya ngono na UKIMWI: Kuna uhusiano mkubwa sana kati ya magonjwa ya ngono na Virusi vya UKIMWI. Mtu anapokuwa na magonjwa ya  ngono ni rahisi sana kuambukizwa Virusi vya UKIMWI kutokana na michubuko anayokuwa nayo sehemu zake za siri.

Wengine wanapohisi kuambukizwa ugonjwa wa ngono hukimbiliadukani  kununua dawa na kumeza kabla ya kupima. Dawa hizo zinaposhindwa kufanya kazi ndipo hukimbilia hospitali wakati hali zao zikiwa mbaya sana. Ni hatari kubwa kutumia dawa bila ushauri wa daktari. Muhimu ni kumwona daktari atakayekupima na kukuelekeza dawa na jinsi ya kutumia.

Ni salama zaidi kutibu magonjwa ya ngono hospitalini mapema na kuhakikisha umepona. Usikatishe dozi (kiasi cha dawa ambacho mgonjwa hutakiwa kutumia ili kutibu ugonjwa wake). Kamwe usithubutu kujamiiana kabla ya kumaliza dozi na hakikisha mpenzi wako pia ametibiwa. Mjamzito anapotibu magonjwa ya ngono anapunguza hatari ya kumwambukiza mtoto aliye tumboni Virusi vya UKIMWI.

Wahudumu wa afya na wakunga wa jadi hupatiwa elimu mara kwa mara kuhusu jinsi ya kujikinga dhidi ya maambukizi na serikali inahakikisha taasisi za huduma za afya zinawapatia vifaa kwa ajili ya kujikinga wawapo kazini. Wahudumu wa afya pia wanatakiwa kutumia glavu (mipira ya mikono) wanapozalisha, wanaposafisha vidonda, wanapomwogesha mgonjwa, wanapofua nguo za mgonjwa, wanapompaka mgonjwa dawa, wanapomwosha maiti na wanapomhudumia mgonjwa mwenye majeraha.

Aidha wahudumu wa afya wanatakiwa kuwa makini wanapomchoma mgonjwa sindano ili kuhakikisha hawajichomi. Wanawe mikono kwa sabuni na maji ya kutosha kabla na baada ya kumhudumia mgonjwa. Vifaa kama nyembe, mikasi na sindano vitumike kwa mgonjwa mmoja tu. Ikibidi kutumika tena, vichemshwe ipasavyo.

Kupima kutatusaidia nini? Majibu ya swali hili utayapata toleo lijalo la NIPASHE, Mwanga wa Jamii. Makala haya yameandikwa kwa msaada wa jarida la ‘Pamoja Tutashinda’ la Tume ya Kudhibiti UKIMWI (TACAIDS).
SOURCCE: NIPASHE
E-mail: marobarnabas@yahoo.com--Kwa niaba ya AJAAT

Friday, April 26, 2013

TACAIDS yakutana na wahariri wakuu—yawataka kupeleka ujumbe sahihi na haraka dhidi ya UKIMWI



Jopo la wakuu wa TACAIDS
Katikati ya wiki hii viongozi wakuu wa Tume ya Kudhibiti UKIMWI nchini (TACAIDS) walikutana na wahariri mbalimbali wa vyombo vya habari na kuwataka kubeba jukumu la kuupasha umma kuhusu madhara ya VVU na jinsi ya kuendelea kujilinda ili kufikia azma ya maambukizo “sifuri” vifo “sifuri” na unyanyapaa “sifuri”.


Friday, April 12, 2013

Dar es Salaam: CoBaSys research finds HIV/AIDs epidemic has scaled up at both global and national levels

The Community Based Systems in HIV treatment (CoBaSys) project through the University of Dar es salaam and in close collaboration with Centro Universitario Di Servizi Per La Cooperazione Allo Sviluppo (C.U.S.C.O.S.) this week hosted a final conference meeting in Dar es salaam, the capital of Tanzania 
Participants to the CoBaSys meeting following live presentation
“The objective of the final conference was to assure the effective cooperation at International and inter-regional level within national and regional stakeholders that are working on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care,” according to Prof. Ernest Mallya from the University of Dar es salaam and COBASYS team leader in Tanzania.
The meeting aimed to promote: the sharing of the results of 6 African Countries National Roundtables, discussion on policy recommendations and Southern Eastern Africa common strategies and on HIV/AIDS response’s sustainability and Global Financial Crisis.

Stakeholders invited presented results of the Africa-Europe cooperation in assessing the different factors influencing adherence of medical treatment to HIV and how they can impact on reducing stigma and social exclusion.
  
According to Giovanni Guaraldi who is the CoBaSys project coordinator, some of the topics covered include but not limited to: Discussing Community Based System results and challenges, discussing policy recommendations and Southern Africa common strategies to promote access, treatment and care. The conference participants will also discuss the problem of sustainability of HIV/AIDS treatment and donor dependency,” he added. 
This final CoBaSys meeting, therefore, aimed to discuss how the Community Models would face the future, always more characterized by HIV/AIDS transformation in chronic disease, lack of donor funding and increase in inequality in accessing quality health services. 
Presentations
We hope that even if Community Model might not be more sufficient to care the increased challenges (co-morbidities) accompanied by PLWHIV ageing, rise of civil right and citizenship will assure that health and social rights will be defend and a more equitable access to quality health services might be assure at national and international level.
The workshop was part of – CoBaSys – project, Community Based System in HIV Treatment that aims at creating a regional network for policy advocacy to empower communities in supporting antiretroviral delivery programmes for patients with HIV infection in Southern and Eastern African countries. 
Community-Based Care models have been advocated by governments and organizations as they encourage participation, with the community actively involved in identifying their problems and needs, prioritizing them and mobilizing their own resources to meet those needs. 
 Note to Editors:
The Community Based System in HIV Treatment – CoBaSys (www.cobasys.eu) is an ACP Science & Technology funded project that is being implemented in Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
In the past The COBASYS stakeholders meetings have been  organized and funded by the European Union to undertake extensive research on health services delivered to communities in Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia. 
COBASYS team leader in the country is Prof Ernest Mallya,Among some of the challenges that face the global initiative towards elimination of HIV infections in the country is lack of trained staffs, shortage of medicines, equipment, health workers. Another challenge is the dynamic changes of HIV/AIDS issues which needed policy changes.
Group photo
In the recent past Tanzania was still using the 2001 policy in handling HIV/AIDS issues despite the fact that measures taken in fighting the disease have gone through a lot of changes since then. Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) updated the National HIV/AIDS Policy and has submitted it for the cabinet approval before it is made public.