Iganga gets private ARV collection centres

The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) has established private antiretroviral (ARV) collection centres in Iganga district for its clients.

When New Vision visited one such point near Kawete Police station in Namungalwe sub-county, 110 persons living with HIV were picking up their consignment.

"Each one of us gets a sealed package with his or her name direct from TASO Jinja branch. It is what we carry home with us," narrated Gregory Khisa, a client from Luuka district.

According to Peter Mujubu, a TASO expert client for Nambaale sub-county, the move to open up Community Drug Distribution Points (CDDP) was prompted by members request for bringing services nearer to them.

"This will reduce on the distance  people have been travelling to get  medicines in rural settings," Mujubu said.

Celictus Kamwine, the in-charge of Nambaale health centre III said the increased number of clients receiving ARVs from the health facility had compromised privacy issues.

"We now have three collection points in Nambaale sub-county alone. One is located at Kawete, another at Bugono and the other at Nawandala," Kamwine disclosed.

Mujubu revealed that the next distribution day would be November 23 when the TASO team would come again from Jinja.

Dr. David Muwanguzi, the Iganga district health officer argued that the setting up of CDDP lessened the strain on health centre facilities.

"These big numbers of clients require ample room while waiting to be served. It is the reason those waiting shelters were constructed by development partners like StarEC at most health units," Muwanguzi disclosed.

Muwanguzi cautioned the recipients about the need for adherence as those who do not take the ARVs religiously end up with usually life-threatening complications.

Edward Mpango, a resident of Kawete village in Iganga said: I have been on ARVs for seven years now. This initiative that started this year has saved me both time and cash spent on transport to the health centre as I now walk to the collection point,"

Benaleta Bitali, a PLHIV from Namwiwa parish, Kaliro district said the new ARV collection points have more privacy compared to hospitals where they used to go.