The audio is in isiZulu. See english summary below.

MABUTHO: Naphezu kokuba iZuzimpilo Clinic ikhokhisa imali encane kulabo abadinga amakhambi okulwisana negciwane lesandulelangculaza futhi isenkabeni yedolobha laseGoli okuyindawo enabantu abaningi, kepha lomtholampilo uyahluleka ukuheha abantu abaningi ngokwanele njengoba bekulindelekile. Lomtholampilo ongowukuqala ukuba khona kuleli wavulwa ngokusemthethweni ngasekupheleni konyaka owedlule ngenhloso yokuthi unikezele ngamakhambi alwisana ngeciwane lesandulelangculaza (ARVs) ngamanani aphansi kulabobantu abahola kancane. Njengoba sekusele izinyanga ezingu eight uphele lonyaka leclinc ngokusho kongumqondisi wayo uDr Tinyiko Khosa isenabantu abangaphansi kuka 150 abathola ama ARVs okuyisibalo esingaphansi kakhulu kuka 1000 leclinic ehlose ukuthi isithole ngaphambi kokuphela kuka 2007.

DR TINYIKO KHOSA: Sinezinyanga ezine siqalile ukusebenza lapha eZuzimpilo, kodwa sesinabantu abangu 135 abangaphansi kohlelo lokunikezelwa kwama ARVs and then sine 220 abezile ukuzokwenza I counseling and testing.

MABUTHO: Ongomunye wabasunguli baleclinic uDr Neil Martinson uthi bebethembile ukuthi abantu bazoza ngobuningi babo kulomtholampilo ngesikhathi bewuqala. Uthi kodwa akusahambi njengoba becabanga ngenxa yokuthi iningi labantu kalazi ngale clinic.

DR NEIL MARTINSON: We did anticipate a better response. Why not more people have come, I don’€™t know. But we don’€™t have a huge budget to market I think that one of the problems is that we under anticipated the fact that no one knows about this clinic.

MABUTHO: UDr Martinson uthi ngokocwaningo lwabo umtholampilo ofana neZuzimpilo unezinselelo eziningi njengoba enye inkinga ekhona ababhekene nayo ukuthi akubona bonke abantu abaphila negciwane lesandulelangculaza abazimisele ukukhokha imali engu R350 ekhokhwa kulomtholampilo. Uthi kucwaningo abasanda kulenza ngalomtholampilo kuyavela ukuthi bangamaphesenti angu 20 nje kuphela abantu abazimisele ukuthi bakhokhe imali edingakalayo ukuthola ama ARVs kule clinic.

DR NEIL MARTINSON:  A concept like this, according to our research, requires a large population to support it. We did a demand survey which looked at what people are willing to pay for ARVs. About 20% of people are willing to pay R350 for ARVs.

MABUTHO: Lomtholampilo oxhaswe iUSAID ukhokhisa imali engu R350 ngenyanga kulabo abadinga ama ARVs okuyimali encane kakhulu uma iqhathaniswa no R1 200 okhokhwa ezibhedlela ezizimele. Kanti labo asebehluleka ukukhokha lemali ngenxa yezizathu zokulahlekelwa ngumsebenzi bayakwazi ukuthi baqhubeke nokuthola ama ARVs kuze kuphele izinyanga eziyisithupha

ENGLISH SUMMARY

Zuzimpilo faces challenge to meet target

The much talked about Johannesburg-based Zuzimpilo Medical Centre is experiencing difficulties in meeting its target of enrolling 1000 people on ARV treatment before the end of the year.

Zuzimpilo Medical Centre, the first of its kind in the country was launched late last year with the aim of offering antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) at a lower price to workers earning a low income. With less than eight months left before the end of the year the centre has enrolled less than 150 patients on ARVs, which is far below  its target.

‘€œIn the four months since we started here at Zuzimpilo we have enrolled 135 people on ARVs and about 220 have come for testing and counseling,’€ said Dr Tinyiko Khosa, Director of the clinic.

Co-founder of the clinic Dr Neil Martinson, said the problem came as a surprise.

‘€œWe did anticipate a better response. Why not more people have come, I don’€™t know. I think that one of the problems is that we under anticipated the fact that no one knows about this clinic and we have to go out and sell ourselves,’€ he said.

‘€œA concept like this, according to our research, requires a large population to support it. We did a demand survey which looked at what people are willing to pay for ARVs. About 20% of patients who are our clients are willing to pay R350 for ARVs,’€ he added.

Zuzimpilo ‘€“ which is funded by USAID, is charging R350 a month to those who need anti-retroviral drugs, far below the R1500 patients in the private sector pay.