Little Sandile here in the arms of his HBC volunteer Buyisiwe, was only eleven months old when he lost his struggle for life. He was HIV+, but the health system failed him. First they didn't have the special tests on hand to test infants under 18 months, then the results took 2 months instead of the stated 3 weeks to come back. When I accompanied his mother, ill herself, but getting stronger on ARVs, to the clinic to get the results, they were positive. The VCT counselors at the clinic who gave the results told his mother that he needed to come back on Monday, in five days, to give blood for the CD4 test that would check his immune system strength.But we all could see his waning health. Just having finished six months of TB medication, little Sandile's oral thrush and sores got worse with time, despite trips to the clinic. That day I spent with him and his mom, poor Sandile spent the entire day crying, feverish and with oral sores all through his mouth and throat which were aggravated everytime he coughed.
Not wanting to accept the apathetic, bureaucratic response from the 'AIDS experts/advocates' at the clinic, I called the nurse I often work with at Estcourt Hospital's ARV clinic. I explained the baby's HIV results had just come back positive, that he had just gotten off TB treatment, and that he was ill. She said the doctor should see him right away, that he would judge the baby's immune strength by having a look at him, instead of waiting 3-4 weeks for the CD4 results to come back.
Sandile cried almost non-stop in the waiting room of the ARV clinic, and once the doctor saw him, wrote up a prescription for his ARVs on the spot. After a lot of experience in the hospital herself, his mom didn't want him admitted to the hospital, so after picking up a big bag full of medications, we left again for home.
Despite our best attempts to help little Sandile, four days later, he passed away.
Please pray for his mother's comfort, for her own fragile health, and for the health of his 6 year old brother Senzo. Please also pray for comfort for Buyisiwe, his HBC volunteer, and for his granny who has been his primary caregiver.
