When it all goes flying out the window: Part 4

General
1

In my search for PEP I found out that the drugs are actually not as free as many people thought. Apparently there has been a recent directive that limits dispensing of PEP only to rape victims and cases of occupational exposure. The rest of us can go drying. What infuriated me though was the fact that you can’t even legally buy the drugs in a government hospital. This annoyed me because I was being denied a month’s dose of a short term ARV and yet these same guys would willingly give me ARVs for free every month for the rest of my life if I later turned out to be positive.

Now I get the fact that there is a need to dissuade people from turning PEP into the latest fad but if we weigh the risks and potential long term costs what makes more sense? Or am I missing something?

Anyway, after failing to get the PEP at the first hospital I checked several pharmacies and in all those locations I came up with nothing. Finally I had to turn to the person I’d avoided discussing the issue with all along i.e. a family member working in a referral hospital. She was quite understanding and just told me to come because apparently they still give them out. WRONG!

It turns out they too didn’t dispense to just any case and even she didn’t know about it until just then. This made me wonder whether this whole PEP holdout was a scheme of sorts because not that many people seemed to know about it. What made me all the more suspicious was the doctor I spoke to.

Once I’d said what had brought me there she called me over to her office where we discussed the matter and she told me I couldn’t get them there. In fact her words were, “We can’t take responsibility for that”! OUCH! I actually felt a little insulted! What she said may have been true but the manner in which she’d said seemed the closest thing to condemning someone to death. She offered no advice, no nothing. She did however mentioned that I could buy the drugs at Aga Khan hospital (a warning bell rang in my head). I said my thanks and started to leave but suddenly she called me back.

At this point I was assuming she wanted to make some sort of side deal. I was all too willing (desperation). She pulled out an ordinary piece of paper and asked first for my name and then for my address. I thought she was going to ask for my phone number so we could arrange something later but no, that was it. I could now go drying without any explanation as to why she needed those details. Before I stepped out the door I was smelling a swarm of rats. Maybe I’m wrong but I’m positive that whole bullshit was about her getting paid some sort of referral fee by Aga Khan. Maybe I’m wrong but in this country who knows?

With no hope and no options I turned up at Aga Khan the following morning (the third day). Those idiots had the audacity to charge me a consultation fee of 1020/= just so I could tell the doctor I needed PEP. He asked fewer questions than any doctor I’ve ever been to. I finally went to the pharmacy for the next round of ass rape;

Truvada - 4,451

Atazor - 7,250

{Najua niligongwa so msiseme}

All in all, up to that point the whole incident cost me close to 14,000 shillings if i include the cost of moving up and down on a motorbike. So, How much did your last shot cost you?

Anyway, today in the morning I finally downed the last of these bad boys. I didn’t experience the side effects that most people have been talking about. @Luther12 is that normal ama nilinunua bonoko?
[ATTACH=full]40087[/ATTACH]

Shout out to luther, @Ice_Cube and the other guys who gave me sound advice when I needed it.

1 Like
2

You are wiser now… All the best…

1 Like
3

Hizo dawa ziko sawa sio bonoko. Side effects described are just what had been observed in others; not everyone gets them.

Sijui huko ni wapi hawapeani dawa, perhaps they’re having challenges with supplies which has been quite common lately. But to the best of my knowledge the drugs are available and free in all gov’t hospitals where I am.

4

Agha Khan ilipunguza consultation fee from 2k to 1020? Ama hii hekaya ni ya mwaka gani?

5

You gotta live and learn…

1 Like
6

Huku they give for free but only to rape cases and occupational exposure cases or if a husband is negative and wife is positive. Maybe it’s the supply thing

7

Maybe it varies with location

1 Like
8

Hii self righteousness itawamalisa. You go fucking around knowing very well the risk you are putting yourself into then go expecting sympathy? If it were upto me haungezipata.

9

Reread your comment and then call me self-righteous again, in case you actually know what the phrase means. Wewe uko na shida ingine and it has nothing to do with my post.

P.S.: I didn’t go anywhere expecting sympathy. I was looking for medication which I had no qualms paying for. My problem was the hoops I was made to jump through most of which are imposed by individuals with no right to do so.

3 Likes
10

We always give the patient the benefit of doubt. Not all are careless, much as some indeed are. Some cases of condom burst are actually genuine, albeit few.

2 Likes
11

Na ndio maana sio wewe. Mungu alijua akakupa kifagio tu. Angekupa bunduki…!!!

2 Likes
12

…where r u? which county?

13

Perhaps it is the shortage of supplies, this unfortunately is the reality of many Kenyans who end up engaging and have incidences of BURST CDs. I recently saw a directive in one county refferal hospital requiring that all guys with burst cd cases coming for PEP should be with their partners. Supposing you have contracted someone for a short term service, then during the contract, the CD goes ‘boom’ do you then hold the contractor till the both of you get tested, then release them… hmmmm… How easy will this be? This reminds me of the government policy many years ago about having STI’s. It was govt policy then that when you have an STI, you should bring your partner so that the both of you are assessed and treated accordingly. It was good, but then many people started shunning the govt facilities. Many will visit the pharmacy and get drugs there for treatment of their ‘HOMA’.

Second, the counselling sessions left a lot to be desired. What I mean is that most ‘burst cd cases’ were all adjudged to be the next victims, with comments like… next time you will be our client if you continue with your philandering ways’ and this was said in very colourful ways. Reminds me of a story about a male patient who had gone to the famous ‘casino clinic’ to seek treatment for an STI. He was told (at the triage area) to remove his pants and expose his manhood. He was hesitant, but was forcefully coaxed to remove it in a colourful manner 'kwani wakati ulikuwa unakula huyo msichana hukuskia aibu kutoa kitu yako…’ Later after he removed his manhood, it was examined using an instrument (pencil, ruler)… not even a gloved hand. The attitude there needs to change.

Third, the PEP would then be dispensed in short term doses not the whole dose (for 28-30 days). Yesterday I came to learn from a VCT counsellor in Nairobi that support to VCT services have come to an end, and hospitals have taken over ‘VCT services’. With this kind of attitude, shortages, my guess is we will be reversing many good things that have been done to reduce/maintain HIV spread in the country.

1 Like
14

Sex is not an emergency such that if you don’t have it there and then you will die. It makes more sense to exercise self control rather than run around and spend thousands looking for treatment plus a full month of uncertainty.

1 Like
15

You should really go through part one to three because you seem to be missing some vital information

16

I have read all parts and the summary is you had sex with someone you barely knew. You seem fully aware of the consequences. I just wonder if those few minutes of pleasure are worth what you had to endure there after. Anyway, to each his own. :slight_smile: