17 000 residents receive ARVs from council clinics

aids problem

THE Bulawayo City Council is providing anti-retrovirals to more than 17 000 residents while 927 died due to HIV/Aids related illnesses in October.

The Health, Housing and Education Committee noted in the latest council report that 17 030 residents were receiving ARVs from council clinics.

The majority of the residents living with HIV/Aids were drawn from Nketa where 2 881 were registered, tailed by Nkulumane with 1 081 registered followed by Luveve with 956 while Pelendaba has 913 and Mzilikazi 902 beneficiaries.

Emakhandeni and all sections of Magwegwe have the least number of beneficiaries with 400 and 410 respectively while Pumula has 661 people on ARVs.

The highest number of HIV/Aids related deaths was recorded in Nketa where 335 died while Khami Road Clinic had 269 with Nkulumane at 48 deaths.

Turning to malaria, the Health, Housing and Education Committee said stream- bank clearing was progressing well in Nkulumane and the Queen Elizabeth stream.

“The tasks were made difficult by the shortage of staff. There was need to boost up our stocks of chemicals further for mosquito control (larviciding and adulticiding). Indoor residual spraying was also ready to be embarked upon, albeit on a cost recovery basis," said the health committee.

However, Ward Five Councillor Dr John Gerry Ferguson noted that mosquitoes in Bulawayo were not effective malaria carriers. He said most malaria cases were a result of people coming from other areas.

Clr Dr Ferguson said spraying and encouraging residents to take precautions would assist in the prevention of malaria.