[pronut-hiv] Zimbabwe voices: Mary

["ProNut-HIV" <pronut-hiv@healthnet.org>]

Zimbabwe voices: Mary 

Zimbabwe is in economic meltdown, with the world's highest rate of
inflation of 1,000% and chronic unemployment. Here Mary, 41, an
HIV-positive widow, whose home was demolished by the authorities last
year, reflects on her life. 

 My husband passed away in 2000. He was a soldier, he was HIV-positive.
My baby was born and then passed away. 

My husband, my three sons, they passed away - I'm the only one. 

In time I was tested and [when] the result was out, I just laughed -
I'm HIV positive, then what can I do? 

The doctors said: "No, here we just test you, we don't have anything to
give you." 

Then I said: "Why have you tested me - you have just put me on a death
sentence because I'm scared now because I know I am HIV positive. If you
test me, it was to give me tablets." 

Here in Zimbabwe we don't have something like that. We don't have
tablets, even Panadol we can't get it here. You are under a death
penalty. 

Party card 

If you want to be taken for a CD4 count [a key test of the immune
system] these days, it costs 10,000,300 Zimbabwe dollars ($99). 

But first you must go to the doctor, you pay 1m just for the doctor to
write the letter to get a CD4 count. 

After that you must buy some tablets. It's 4.7m per bottle now. I can't
afford it because I'm not working, 

I'm not strong enough. We have got a problem - where can I go? Where am
I going to get some tablets? 

If I go to the doctors - at first I go to the hospital - the government
hospital - they say they want the card for Zanu-PF [the ruling party]
but I didn't have the card. 

I can't have my tablet, I can't have my Panadol, I can't have my ARVs
[Anti-Aids drugs]. 

Angry 

You know if you start the ARVs you mustn't stop. Then if I stop what
else? I'm going to die. 

If you go to our graveyard, you can see five, six, seven, eight people
be buried because of HIV. 

With HIV you must have food and live in a good house and have good
water and then you can survive with HIV. 

But if you don't have food, you don't have tablets, the rents of the
houses, the rents of the water. 

You are lucky I'm not crying but I'm very angry. 

Last year, when Tsunami [slum clearance operation] came, they kicked in
all our houses. 

I had a nice house. I was married to a soldier. 

My house was destroyed. That was my riches, that was everything for me.


I have nowhere to stay. I sleep under the bed of my mother.