Bonitas Member Magazine B-Living Issue 4

Living positively with HIV The World Health Organisation and government are increasing eff orts to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. If you’ve been diagnosed positively and want to improve the quality and length of your life, you need to join the HIV/ AIDS programme. Know your HIV status Knowing your HIV status will allow you to receive treatment and support to keep you healthy if you are positive, or to encourage you to stay negative. Bonitas off ers all members one HIV test a year on all options, free of charge. Simply visit your nearest Clicks, Dis-Chem or Pick n Pay pharmacy or attend a corporate wellness day. You are at risk of contracting HIV if you: • • • Have unprotected sex or a sexually transmitted infection Share contaminated needles Undergo a blood transfusion, tissue transplantation or a medical procedure with unsterile equipment. What does the HIV/AIDS programme provide? The HIV/AIDS programme, run by Aid for AIDS, a leader in HIV/AIDS management and care, helps you receive the best care to live a longer, more productive life. It acts as a care-coordinator between you, Bonitas and healthcare providers to manage your condition. Testing for HIV is advised for anyone exposed to any risk factors of the disease. These blood tests usually provide same-day results, so you can be diagnosed on the same day and receive treatment as early as possible. The programme provides medicine to treat HIV, treatment to prevent opportunistic infections, as well as blood and lab tests to monitor disease progression and your response to treatment. Your long-term treatment costs will be reduced as you receive timeous treatment with antiretrovirals, adhere to the treatment plan, experience less viral resistance and fewer infections. The blood tests do not directly detect HIV, they detect the presence or absence of antibodies that fi ght HIV-1 or 2 and the HIV p24 antigen. Most people develop antibodies to HIV within 28 days of infection, so antibodies may not be detectable during this ‘window period’. You will receive HIV-related doctor consultations, funding for treatment including antiretrovirals, clinical guidelines, reminders when you are due for tests and support from counsellors. Cover for HIV/AIDS is unlimited if you register on the programme and follow the managed care guidelines. No single HIV test can provide an HIV-positive diagnosis, so it is important to get retested if you are diagnosed HIV positive before starting treatment, to rule out any error. You can also do a self-test and interpret the results privately to fi nd out your status, but you need to be tested again by a health worker to confi rm the diagnosis. How do I join the HIV/AIDS programme? What happens when I get tested for HIV/AIDS? B-Living Issue 4, 2017 If you are HIV positive, contact Aid for AIDS to register on the programme. You can then contact Pharmacy Direct, the designated service provider of medicine, to register to receive your medicine so you avoid co-payments. If necessary, we will review your medical details when you register on the programme and discuss the most medically appropriate, cost-eff ective treatment with your doctor. Page 22

Bonitas Member Magazine B-Living Issue 4 | Page 23