EPWORTH NURSES SELLING PEP DRUG TO COMMECIAL SEX WORKERS

PEP antiretrovirals

An Al Jazeera documentary last year exposed that Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), meant to be distributed to HIV/Aids patients for free were leaking from public health institutions and circulating on the black market. As established through an investigation recently carried out by the Zimbabwe Sentinel, this abuse of ARVs is still rampant. .

As established through the investigation, nurses at Epworth’s Overspill Clinic are selling an ARV drug, Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) to sex workers who use it after engaging in unprotected sex. The sex workers believe the drug prevents them from being infected by the HIV virus.
However, the drug only reduces chances of infection, but does not completely eliminate the danger of contracting the virus.

Being of the full belief that PEP prevents the contraction of HIV/Aids, commercial sex workers in Epworth have become part of a racket in which the drug is being pilfered and sold to commercial sex workers.

Acting on a tip off of the practice, this reporter embarked on an investigative mission to Epworth. The investigation proved that nurses at Overspill clinic in this sprawling peri-urban township, south of Harare are involved in the illegal selling of the drug.

The first port of call was a place popularly known as.‘Pabooster’.The area is frequented by commercial sex workers soliciting for potential clients. As I got there I was approached by Tariro, a sex worker who offered me her services. This presented me with an opportunity to dig into the PEP issue. In order to get more from her, I posed as someone interested in her services.

We agreed on a price and we set off to her place of operation. Within the framework of my investigationI insisted that I was not going to use a condom since it would be a waste of my money. She agreed to this proposal without wasting time and I sarcastically asked her whether she was not afraid of contracting STIs or worse still the HIV virus.

She said she had her ways of ensuring that she does not contract HIV. Probed further to explain, shesaid that she had access to a drug that makes her immune to the virus. I pursuaded to tell me more about the drug and its source. With me expressing doubt on the drug, she revealed to me that it was an authentic drug that she sourced from the clinic. Upon being offered mone, she agreed to go with me to the clinic to have an eye-witness account on how she sourced the drug.

When we got to the clinic, Tariro requested to see one of the nurses (name supplied) who came to meet her promptly. She met the nurse in the car park several metres from our vehicle.

After a brief discussion, the nurse left Tariro and dashed into the clinic returning with a plastic bagthat she exchanged for a $ 5 note from Tariro. A private doctor in town confirmed that it was indeed PEP.

The drug is packaged in plastic bottles but to conceal their illicit dealings, the nurses unpack the contents and put them in plastics.
“This is how I get my drugs and other sex workers in the area and there are three nurses who supply us with this drug at Overspill clinic,” said Tariro.

Tariro first learnt about PEP in 2013 when her12 year old daughter was raped by one of her clients.PEP was prescribed to the little girl as an emergency treatment, and when the child responded well to treatment, she thought of experimenting with the drug in her own profession but did not have a clue on how to get the drug.She approached nurses at the Overspill clinic who offered her the drug for a fee.

“I just thought I could use the drug to prevent contracting HIV. Many colleagues have also joined in because some clients prefer unprotected sex,”Tariro said, confirming the rampant leakage and illegal sale of PEP.

The Nurse in Charge at Overspill Clinic refused to be named or comment on the matter.
Approached for comment, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) requested that questions be submitted through electronic mail. MCAZ is yet to respond, despite the questions being submitted a month ago.

Residents in Epworth have called on responsible authorities to take action against the nurses who illegally sell PEP, depriving rape victims who need the drug.

One of the residents, John Chogugudzasaid commercial sex workers must be properly educated on the use of PEP.
“Sex workers are so negligent. There is need for proper education and responsible authorities should curb such illegal actsby punishing people involved in the syndicate,” he said.

A Harare based doctor who preferred anonymity said the selling of PEP points to a lack of effective drug control mechanisms in Zimbabwe.
“The system broke down at the height of Zimbabwe’s economic crisis.The theft of drugs from health institutions is now a common occurrence as public hospitals lack effective measures of controlling drugs, especially the donated ARVs,” the doctor said

“This problem is exacerbated by the harsh economic environment that is forcing health workers into corruption to supplement their meagre incomes,” he added.

If authorities do not move fast to curb this scandal, people like Tariro and more others could continue to risk their lives, intended beneficiaries of PEP tablets could continue to suffer due to lack of access to treatment and government’s efforts at helping rape survivors could be heavily compromised.
Ends//

By Misheck Shambare