Mpumalanga nurses graduate
Gert Sibande District Municipality still has the highest HIV prevalence rate.
HIGHVELD – A group of nurses from Mpumalanga celebrated their graduation at Evander Regional Training Centre where they received certificates for Nurse Initiated and Managed Anti Retro Viral Treatment (NIMART) competency.
The certificates make them eligible to carry out the task of participating in the fight against HIV/Aids and related diseases,” said the Mpumalanga MEC, Mr Gillion Mashego.
“This group of competent nurses will ensure that our people who are HIV positive, live longer.
“The impact of the NIMART programme is already felt in the province.
“Statistics have shown an improvement in the usage of ARVs in the province since the inception of the programme.”
Mr Mashego further said the Department of Health statistics show that in the 2010/11 financial year, there were about 111 402 adults and 11 372 children on anti retro virals, and five years later after the NIMART launch, the statistics show 263 637 adults and 14 411 children on ARV treatment.
It was also mentioned during the graduation that the Department of Health took the initiative to expand services on NIMART to the Department of Correctional Services in the province.
Mr Mashego also highlighted that a fixed dose combination therapy of ARVs which was introduced in 2013 by the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, will make it possible to treat many more patients per month with the amount of money that was used to treat patients in 2009.
“It used to cost R313 per patient per month and with the reduction of a fixed dose combination therapy, it will cost R89 plus per patient per month,” said Mr Mashego.
It was also shared by the MEC of Health that statistics show that Mpumalanga HIV prevalence is the second highest after KwaZulu-Natal and Gert Sibande District Municipality is still having the highest HIV prevalence rate.
Govan Mbeki Municipal MMC of Community Services, Mr Sakhile Mhlangu, and Mr Mashigo and Dr Savera Mohangi, acting head of the Department of Health, Mpumalanga, handed over the NIMART certificates of competency to the graduates.
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