Durban Aids patients robbed for drug fix

03/07/2008

Aids patients in South Africa are being robbed by addicts who get high off their antiretroviral treatment, sparking concerns of a shortage of the drug in the region.

The drug Stocrin is reportedly crushed up and mixed with marijuana before being sold around the Durban townships, with major health implications as the mixture breaks down the immune system and can lead to death.

The province - which is one of the worst Aids afflicted areas of South Africa - could soon see shortages of the drug in its hospitals and health centres, say government officials.

Leon Mbangwa, spokesman for the health department, commented: "This practice is disturbing, a large number of HIV patients depend on the state sponsored treatment to stay healthy."

The health department also chose to dismiss reports circulated in the media that hospital workers were aiding the criminals by selling the drugs to them.

"All medication is kept in the hospital pharmacy and only certain levels of nurses have access to it," noted Mr Mbangwa.

South Africa is home to largest number of Aids patients in the world - about 5.5 million people - and it also has the largest ARV program, with 478,000 people registered for treatment.

It is estimated globally that 33.2 million people are infected with the disease worldwide, while 2007 saw 2.2 million people die as a result of the virus.


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