ARV collection

Waiting all day at the clinic is a frustrating reality for people living with HIV. Yet a simple solution exists — for people who are collecting ARVs to simply get a longer supply of medication. Not only would “multi-month dispensing” mean fewer trips back to the clinic — making medicine collection easier for people living with HIV — but it would also reduce the burden on congested and overstretched facilities. Yet South Africa is far behind in extending ART refills compared to other countries. TAC supports 12 monthly prescriptions and the rapid rollout of 3- and then 6-month supply of ARVs to reduce unnecessary burdens on people living with HIV and the health system.

In addition to longer ARV refills, another strategy to reduce waiting times is to allow people living with HIV to collect their treatment at pick-up points either at the facility or externally in the community. Yet many people using facility pick-up points tell us that they must still collect files, take vitals, and see a clinician before getting their parcel — adding unnecessary delays, many people have never even been offered the option to collect from a pick-up point, and others still wish they could collect their ARVs closer to home.