HIV and AIDS are wreaking havoc in households and communities. As breadwinners succumb to AIDS-related infections they lose their ability to earn a living and families become poor and vulnerable. Orphaned children are left to eke out a living however they can. In a village in Limpopo, Health-e News Service meets some of those who are doing their best to help.

Ha lefu la Phamokathe le hlasela sono se aparelang malapa le metse ke sena se rothisang pelo madi. Qetellong ba okametseng malapa ba iphumana e le hore ha ba sa kgona ho sebetsa kapa hona ho iphumanela masheleng ha lefu le ntse le ya le ata mebeleng ya bona. Hona ho tlisa tlala le tlhopheho. Hangata bana ba sala e le dikgutsana ebe ba tlameha ho iketsetsa bophelo ka tsela tse fapafapaneng. Nakong e kgolo o fumana e le hore ha ho moo thuso e hlahang teng. Le ha ho le jwalo tshepo e teng, jwalo ka ha re utlwa tlalehong e latelang.

TB can be cured ‘€“ yet it is one of the biggest killers in the world. The World Health Organisation estimates that unless controls are strengthened, up to 36 million people will die from TB between now and 2020. While it takes on average six months to treat TB at a cost of about R400, Multi-Drug Resistant TB can take 18 months to cure at a cost of R20 000. Xolani Sonkqayi is a 14- year old boy from Guguletu who was diagnosed with MDR-TB last September and is being treated at the Brooklyn Chest Hospital

The non-adherence to a Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) treatment regimen as well as a lack of follow through on general health check-ups are common problems among patients who seek post-rape assistance. Zoleka Nqonqoza, coordinator at Ncedo Rape Centres in Port Elizabeth, says patients need to understand that it is vital to complete prescribed treatment. She adds that it is even more important in the case of PEP because survivors are at risk of contracting HIV if they do not follow doctors orders.

Na ekaba motho o qhobjwa ke eng hore a nehellane ka nako ya hae bakeng sa ho hlokomela bakudi, ba dikobo mahetleng kapa ba makgatheng a lefu, ebeng ha a fumane le ha e le sente a ditshila? Jwalo ka ha meriane ya ho kokobetse lefu ho ba kulang ke mafu a Phamokathe, mosebetsi wa ho hlokomela bakudi o wela mahetleng a beng ba mokudi, mekgatlo e ikemetseng esita le yona ya sedumedi. Tlalehong ena re utlwa ho tswa ho Caiphas Mohale, e mong wa ba inehetseng ho thusa batho ba ka tlasa kodua ya Phamokathe, motseng wa Bolobedu, profenseng ya Limpopo.

Mehleng ena, Natalia Baloyi o ena le lebaka la ho bososela. Pale ya hae ke e supisang hore le ha ho ka eba boima jwang, katleho e tla finyelleha ha feela motho o ena le tshepo le maikemisetso. Lemong tse ka bang tharo tse fetileng, a ena le dilemo tse 22, Natalia o ne a sa sebetse, a bile a hlokomela lelapa labo la dikgaitsedi tse tharo le ngwana e mong eo e leng wa hae. Sena ka mora hore batswadi ba hae ba hlokahale ka mora hore ba kule. Ho hopolwa hore ba nkuwa ke lefu la Phamokathe. Ka mora lemo tsena Health-e News Service e boela e etela Natalia motseng wa habo wa Marironi, Tzaneen, Limpopo.