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Sizophila (we will survive) is a group of trained adherence or ‘therapeutic’
counsellors working at the treatment programmes run by the Desmond Tutu HIV
Centres, whose job it is to educate and support patients undergoing antiretroviral
treatment.
Because they live with HIV themselves, the counsellors are able to relate fully
to the patients and offer them counsel on nutrition, social and personal problems
as well as sexual responsibility.
The counsellors are responsible for all the education on antiretrovirals, side
effects and schedules. They visit their clients in their homes and are also
on hand to provide useful information to family and friends. Their major role
is to ensure that the medication is taken correctly every day.
Whilst the counsellors are mostly out in the field visiting clients every day,
they are also important for the day to day running of the clinics, assisting
with decisions on treatment readiness. They also run treatment support groups
at the clinic on a weekly basis.
In order to recover, patients starting treatment must have the right mental
attitude. They must accept their condition, want to commence lifelong treatment
and believe that they can cope. The Sizophila counsellors have become key to
helping patients get to this point and are the cornerstone in the success of
the treatment programmes.
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