Partnership
for AIDS Free Generation
National AIDS Secretariat (NAS)
complementing the Gambia Government’s
fight against AIDS and funded by the Global
Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) is
working closely with partners, to provide the highest standard of
available treatment, care and support to people living with/and or
affected by HIV/AIDS, which is accessible and affordable.
What are AIDS and
HIV?
AIDS stands for acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome and is a life threatening condition. It is
caused by HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus. HIV infection is a
condition that requires life-long management.
What are the
symptoms of HIV infection?
When a person first becomes
infected with HIV, they may not have symptoms. If they do have symptoms
of sero-conversion (when they are newly infected and going from being
HIV-negative to HIV- positive), they may experience flu-like symptoms
which last a long time. They may have a sore throat, swollen glands,
medium to high grade fever, rashes, and feel tired. They will usually
recover from this and not know that they are HIV-positive.
How soon do
these symptoms appear?
The symptoms that are a
part of sero-conversion usually appear within the first few months, and
most likely the first few weeks, of infection. They are caused by the
immune system trying to fight off the virus in the blood.
For how long is
an HIV-positive person able to spread HIV to others?
From the moment of
infection, an HIV-positive person is infectious and can spread the virus
for the rest of his or her life.
What is the
treatment for HIV infection?
Although HIV can't be
cured, it can be managed. This means that the virus can be kept from
rapidly growing in the body so that it doesn't damage the immune system
quickly. The drugs that do this are called anti-retroviral and protease
inhibitors. A combination of these drugs is referred to as a drug
cocktail. Many people also get an antibiotic which will prevent
pneumonia.
What about HIV
treatment?
While HIV
cannot be cured, it can be treated. The main way to treat HIV is the
use of medicines called Antiretroviral (ARVs). These medicines do not
clear the virus out of the body, but they tie it up and get in its way
so that the body’s immune system can recover. In order to be effective
specific combinations of these drugs are needed, and must be taken
extremely regularly. However, without ARVs, HIV treatment makes a
difference. Patients are usually given medicines to keep other
infections away, and if they become ill doctors specially trained in HIV
care will be able in many cases to treat their complications.
Goals of
Anti-retroviral (ARV) Treatment
•
Prolong health &
life but not cure a patient
•
Improve an HIV
infected patient’s symptoms
•
Improve immune
function (observed clinically & CD4 count)
•
Suppress
replication & mutation of HIV (observed by viral load)
•
Ultimate
goal is “
prolong patient’s life while maintaining the best quality of health and
life”
Where can I go for
treatment? - If you are HIV positive
and you like help, treatment, care and support, you may call or visit
the sites listed below.
Free HIV Treatment at:
Hands on Care (Brikama)
Tel: 4485536/4485437
Medical Research Council (MRC Fajara) Tel:
4494075/4495442
Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (Banjul) Tel:
4228129/4228124
Sulayman Junkung Hospital (Bwiam) Tel:
4489083/4489084
Bansang Hospital (Bansang) Tel:
5674222/5674429
APRC Hospital (Farafenni) Tel:
5735118
For
Free Voluntary Counseling & Testing Contact:
JOBOT Labs (Pipeline Road)
·
Gambia Family Planning
(Kanifing & Bundung)
·
BAFROW (Mandinaba, Ndemban & Banjul)
For
further information contact National AIDS Secretariat on 4224674/67 or
contact at the above partner’s facilities. Email:
nas1@qanet.gm or nas2 @qanet.gm.
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