PLWHA Protest Campaign in Bacau
Article from "Desteptarea" Newspaper, 28 February 2008. Author: Doina Mincu
"The HIV/AIDS patients and their relatives are terrified by the decision of the Ministry of Health to force them to procure their treatment from the open -circuit pharmacies.
They still remember the disaster before 2000, when they were wandering the pharmacies looking for the medicines "free access" medicines. Eugen Nicolaescu hadn't been touched by the memorandum submitted by UNOPA. At Bacau people gather signatures for protest and are threatening even with the revolt.
In Bacau started a protest campaign against the decision of Ministry of Health to change the way of ensuring the treatment for the HIV/AIDS patients. Eugen Nicolaescu decided that these patients' medicines shall be provided from the open-circuits pharmacies, not from the close-circuit ones or hospitals as it has been working for several years.
" The National Union of Organizations of People Infected / Affected by HIV/AIDS (UNOPA) whose member we are, tried to present to the Minister Nicolaescu all the disadvantages of this decision, but with no success, had stated Ana Vatavu, the president of «Lizuca» Association, that was set up by the parents of HIV infected children from Bacau.
I was to Bucharest to sign the memorandum that was presented to the Minister. The UNOPA representatives had discussed with the Ministry but it seems that he cannot understand anything.
After we all worked eight years to get at this level, namely to ensure the medicines for the HIV positive people, we go back to 2000 situation when it was terrible for HIV/AIDS people. I do not know whether there is one thinking when coming with such proposals, if there is one wondering what the effects might be on the patients and their families. Mr. Minister makes us a great «favour»!".
Ana Vatavu initiated the campaign to gather signatures of protest for the modification that had been announced by the management of Ministry of Public Health. On the table are not only the patients and their relatives, but also specialized medical personnel.
The president of" Lizuca" Association named a few of the negative effects on releasing medicines from the open-circuit pharmacies. Thus, the Ministry introduces a one or two extra rigs to the chain of the medicines. He sends us with the prescription to the family physician, who may not know very well neither the patient nor the disease. After receiving the prescription, it is very possible to wander from one pharmacy to another because it cannot be found the prescribed medicines. Many patients will give up the treatment of they have to expose themselves in the pharmacies. Who will have the courage to go to the pharmacy with the prescription and having the pharmacist calling that the IADS medicines hadn't arrived?"
Being already victims in their daily life, even when they need medical services, the patients with HIV/AIDS defiantly didn't need another exposure to the narrow mentality of some their counter-citizens.
The UNOPA representatives, also believe that the HIV infection's monitoring and control system in Romania will become non functional due to the fact that the HIV positive people will no longer have to keep in touch with their specialist.
The treatment interruptions could be also caused by the impossibility of many pharmacies to ensure the HIV/AIDS medicines, which are very expensive. These interruptions will lead to an increase of the patients' resistance to the treatment and implicitly to death.
There are 320 HIV/AIDS patients registered to the specialist medical cabinet from the Bacau Emergency County Hospital. Last year, were identified 24 new cases.
In Romania, the number of HIV/AIDS people in treatment exceeds 10.400, among who over 7.000 are children.
If there won't be a decision recall, people will come out in the street ", stated Ana Vatavu.
"Copyright photo: "Desteptarea" Newspaper, Bacau
