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Someone else's crime shouldn't mean your life sentenceEpisode 20 - P.E.P

In April 2002 the South African government announced the roll-out of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for rape survivors and medical practitioners with needle stick injuries. The importance of PEP in South Africa shouldn't be underestimated due to the high rates of gender based violence and rape. In 2002 alone over 50 000 rapes were reported to the South African Police Service and it is estimated that only 1 in 9 rape survivors actually report to the police. PEP is administered to victims of sexual crimes who report to a health facility within 72 hours of the crime. As a prevention measure PEP is only administered to survivors who are known not to be HIV positive. Consequently survivors who decline to be tested for HIV cannot be given PEP.

Shalom Ncala: Siyanamukela kuSiyayinqoba Beat It! Uhlelo lwakhe wonke umuntu ophila nesandulela ngculaza. Abalingane babo, yimindeni, nabangani, abasebenza nabo kanye nabasebenzi bezempilo. Samkela ithimba elesekelayo. Hi guys. IPost Exposure Prophylaxis isho ukuthi uma usebungozini besandulela ngculaza kukhona imishwanguzo ongayithetha kulesisimo, engakuvikela ukuthi ungatholi igciwane lesandulela ngculaza. Onathi namhlanje u Ntuthu Ntwana ovela kwaSimelela lena yintlangano eyengamele imithola mpilo yalaba abasinde ekudlwengulweni. Siyakwamkela sisNtuthu ninjani? Kumnandi ukuba nawe namhlanje siyajabula. Akhe siye KwaZulu Natal khe sibheke ithimba le Siyayinqoba lifundisa abantu ngalesisimo esaziwa ngele PEP (IsiZulu). Hello and Welcome to Siyayinqoba Beat It! The programme for everyone living with HIV, their partners, families, friends, colleagues and health workers. Welcome to the support group. Post Exposure Prophylaxis means that if you have been exposed to HIV, there are drugs that you can take that will prevent you from becoming HIV positive from this contact. With us today is Ntuthu Ntwana from Simelela, an organization that runs clinics for rape survivors. Welcome Ntuthu, how are you? We're glad to have you with us today. Let's go to the KwaZulu Natal and watch as the Siyayinqoba outreach team teaches people about PEP.

Support Group: Hi Shalom!

Ntuthu Ntwana: Molo sisi siphilile enkosi unjani? Enkosi (IsiXhosa) I'm very well thank you. Thank you!

Merisha Lalla: Today we are at the Beat It! Workshop. Where we've come to learn how we can prevent HIV infection after being late

Busi Mgabi: Njengoba sazi ukuthi uHIV izinga layo liphezulu so abantu abanye bayareyitshwa batheleleke ngegciwane lika HIV. Zikhona ke indlela ke ukuthi umuntu mangabe sereyitshiwe akwazi ukusizakala. Eli gama ke leli elithi PEP umeleni umele uPost Exposure Prophylaxis oku ukuvikela emva kokuba sekukhona isimo esikwahlakalele. Umangabe ke usureyitshiwe uya esibhedlela noma uqale uye emapoyiseni kodwa naseyibhedlela zikhona ama crisis centre la ofika uye khona kukhona amapoyisa uthole ukusizakala. Ubhalise istatement ukuthi wena ureyitshiwe then besebeyaku tester baku check ukuthi unalo na igciwane lika HIV or noma awunalo. Leyo ndlela ke siyibiza ngokuthi ngu VCT. Lapho ke into eyenziwayo uma ngaba ureyitshiwe kubalulekile ukuthi uye ekliniki before u72 hours. Ungakapheli u72 hours ngoba kungenzeka ukuthi mangabe sekudlule lo 72 hours lowo muntu kade eku reyipa umangabe enegciwane lika HIV akuthelele negciwane lika HIV. Then uma sufikile ke bakwenze uVCT , emva kwalokho uyathola amapilisi akho la engikhuluma ngawo ama Prophylaxis lawo. Okuyi 3TC kanye nani ne AZT. Right lo mapilisi onikezwa wona, uyanikezwa uwaphuza for 28 days ukuze uvikeleke kuphi kwigciwane lika HIV. Kodwa kunikezwa kuphela umuntu oteste HIV negative. Umangabe utestiwe within leyo 72 hours ureyitshiwe wena watester HIV positive kusho ukuthi vele bukade unalo igciwane lika HIV. Ngoba igciwane lika HIV alikwazi ukuthi livele manje mangabe ngireyitshwe manje wangithelela ngegciwane le HIV manje kubonakale manje ukuthi nginegciwane (IsiZulu). We know that the rate of HIV infection is increasing, and some who are raped are being infected with HIV. But there are ways of helping people after they have been raped. PEP is Post Exposure Prophylaxis, which prevents HIV infection after being raped. After being raped you go to a hospital or the police. But in hospitals there are crisis centers where people can get help. When you arrive there you give your statement that you've been raped. Then after that they do an HIV test, this we call VCT. It's very important for a rape victim to go to a clinic within 72 hours. The reason for the 72 hours is that the person who raped you could be infected with HIV. Then you get VCT. Thereafter, you get the pills which is the prophylaxis. The pills are called 3TC and AZT. These pills will prevent you from being infected with HIV and are taken for 28 days. They are only given to people who test HIV negative. If you tested within 72 hours and you test HIV positive, this means that you had the virus for a while and not because you were raped.

Guy 1: Sisi mina engifuna ukwazi ukuthi umangabe ngizofika esibhedlela ngifike ngitshele onurse ukuthi ngidlwengulwe ngumuntu wesilisa. Uluphi ke uhlelo engizolithola umangabe sengenze iVCT bangitshela ukuthi I'm HIV negative other than iPEP because yona I think ukuthi I focus kakhulu kubantu besifazane kunabantu besilisa? (IsiZulu) If I go to a hospital and tell the nurses that I was raped by a man. What program do I follow after I do VCT and test HIV negative, other than PEP, because I assume that PEP is only for women?

Thabisile Nzama: Engingakusho nje bhuti wami ukuthi wonke umuntu odlwenguliwe uthola iPEP akukhathaleki noma kuthiwa ngumuntu wesilisa udlwengula omunye umuntu wesilisa noma ngabe kuthiwa umuntu wesimame odlwenguliwe uma udlwenguliwe uthola iPEP. (IsiZulu) All people who are raped should receive PEP. It doesn't matter if it's a man to man or man to woman, you get PEP.

Merisha: What happens if a condom breaks, will I still be able to access PEP?

Thabisile: Okubalulekile ukuthi iPEP isebenza kubantu abadlwenguliwe kanye nabantu abanje ngonesi nodokotela makwenzekile mhlawumbi kade ujova isiguli inaliti yase iyamjova naye unesi mhalwumbe ngephutha yamhlaba. Then yibona bantu abakwazi ukuthi bathole iPEP umangabe uqhunyelwe yi condom alukho uhlelo olukhona (IsiZulu). PEP is for people who were raped. Nurses and Doctors who accidentally prick themselves with contaminated needles can also get PEP. But in cases where the condom breaks, we don't have a program for that.

Lady 1: Sisi bengithi ngicela ukubuza ukuthi kwenzakalani mhlawumpe ekheyisini where umuntu engakhoni ukukhuluma kahle ukuthatha istatement ukuya emapoyiseni abhekane mhlawumpe namapoyisa azom intorregator udlwenguliwe lo muntu uthukile akakwazi mhlawumpe ngisho ukukhuluma. Lowo muntu uyakwazi mhlawumpe ukuthi adlulele a-access athole iPEP? (IsiZulu) What happens when someone is still in shock after the rape and can't give a statement to the police? Can that person still get access to PEP?

Thabisile: Ukuthi sisi kusuke kuphuthuma u72 hours akufanele ukuthi uzuphele. Ubonwa ngempela ukuthi uthuke kakhulu awukwazi ukuthi uyolivula icala amapoyisa angazenza izaba laphayana kula ma police station angaphakathi eyibhedlela kuthiwa ngama crisis centre. Angazenza iyi zaba njengokuthi mhlawumbi bakwenzele into enjenge nge skeleton docket ukwazi ukuthi ungene kwihlelo lwe PEP. Then ulivule kahle ke icala istatement umangabe usu right usungakwazi nokukhuluma uchaze yonke into eyenzekile (IsiZulu). It's important that all this is done within 72 hours after being raped. A person can go to the police or crisis centre to open a skeleton docket so that one can go through the process of PEP.

Shalom: Bengicela ukwazi ukuthi uma kwaSimelela since yavula iSimelela ni dealer nabantu per month per se ninama clients amangaki angenayo abantu abareyitshiwe and naba experience i-trauma? How has it impacted kwi staff sase Simelela? (IsiZulu) Since Simelela opened how many traumatized rape survivors do you see per month, and how has it impacted on your staff?

Ntuthu: ESimelela ngenyanga siyabona abantu abayi70 ingathi ngu maximum u70 ngenyanga eyodwa. It's very sad ngoba abona bantu ngu12 years ukubheka ezantsi. Kula 70 ngabo abangu 50% kula 70, then ibengu 12 years to 20. More than that ukubheka kubantu abadala ngabo abona abane nani elincinci kumaxhoba odlwengulo. Lonto isenze eSimelela ukuthi sibe involved kakhulu kwi crèches ukuqala kulonyaka. Si involved nepuppets siya kwi crèches sisenza i-awareness ebantwaneni because most yabantwana abareyitshwayo bareyitshwa ngabantu ababaziyo either family members, abazali utata womntwana, umalume or caregivers or neighbours. And bayaboyikisa ukuthi ungathethi (IsiXhosa). At Simelela we see about 70 clients a month. It's very sad because most of them are aged 12 years and under. They amount to 50% of the 70 people, followed by the girls aged 12 to 20 years. We see fewer rape survivors who are over 20 years old. This has prompted Simelela to be involved with crèches this year. We have puppets that we take to crèches to do awareness with the kids because most kids are raped by people they know, either families members, the fathers, uncles or caregivers and neighbours. They always tell the children not to say anything.

Pholokgolo Ramothwala: Does PEP prevent HIV infection 100 percent?

Ntuthu: Depending ba wena ngalaxesha ucaciselwayo i-information lena uyithathe yonke. Because if uyisela kakuhle la AZT ne3TC kuse noba ngu100% percent ungabinanto. Because thina eSimelela ama patient ethu onke a-negative except one person okwathi xa ebuzwa later ba kuye kwenzeka ntoni kwafumanisa ukuthi khange ave kakuhle. Because kaloku xa ureyitshiwe uphinde ngoku uxelelwe ngoba tester for HIV, lonto ininzi kulamntu because eyona nto beyizela ekliniki bezele rape ngoku xa efika apha uxelelwa ngo tester for HIV (IsiXhosa). It depends on how well you carry out the instructions given to you at the clinic. If you take your 3TC and AZT correctly, you will be protected 100 percent. At Simelela all our partners tested HIV negative after PEP, except for one person who we discovered did not understand the instructions. Often when you have been raped and you're told about HIV, it is too much to deal with. You come to get help after being raped, now they're telling you about testing for HIV.

Luckyboy Mkhondwane: If umuntu athola lama drug ayi 2 iAZT ne 3TC for i28 days, ingabe akhona amathuba okuthi uyawa experience ama side effects na? (IsiZulu) If someone gets these two drugs, AZT and 3TC for 28 days, are there chances that they may experience side effects?

Ntuthu: Kakhulu ngakumbi kwintsuku zokuqala usandakuzisela iAZT ne3TC. Xa uyinikwa itreatment lena ugqirha okanye unesi okunikayo uyakucacisela ukuthi uzakufilisha unari okanye uzogabha, kodwa lonto ayithethi ukuthi uyeke ungaseli qhubekeka. Instead if uyabona ba ugabha kakhulu then iza ekliniki uzocacisa ba eyi ndiba nari lento yenza ukuthu ndingaziseli kakuhle ipilisi ukwenzela ba sikunike iyeza elithi lona lenze ukuthi ungagabhi ungabi nari (IsiXhosa). Very much so, especially when you have just started this AZT and 3TC. When they give you the treatment, the doctor or nurse will explain that you may experience nausea and vomit. But that does not mean you should stop taking the treatment, you must continue. If you're vomiting excessively and you can't keep the pills down, come to the clinic so that we can give you medication that will help you stop vomiting.

Shalom: Sis Ntuthu bengicela ukwazi ukuthi nenza kanjani umuntu maka traumatized? Iprotocol eniyi follow is that kufanele ukuthi there and then ateste? because ngizwe kuleya insert kukhulunywa ngokuthi umuntu mangabe a traumatized and angakwazi ukukhuluma sometimes maybe kune additional time enimupha lona yentoyokubana azokwazi abuye makasekhuluma then besekukhona ke ethola iPEP (IsiZulu). How do you guys deal with a person who is traumatized? Does your protocol say that a person must be tested there and then? In the insert they said that if a person is traumatized and can't talk you give them additional time to go gather their thoughts and come back later.

Ntuthu: If umntu uyafika eSimelela usothukile kakhulu mhlawumbi akakwazi ukuthetha njengoba usitsho since thina sivula 24/7 asivali. Then siyamnika ithuba ukuthi akhe ahlale aziqoqoshe okanye abe right i-counselor isoloko ikhona then xa esiva kengoku eright sithethe naye. Kubalulekile la 72 hours ingagqithi asithi ukuthi akanakuza umntu within 2 hours emva kwerape usenokuza (IsiXhosa). If someone comes to Simelela and they're still in shock and can't talk, since the centre is open 24/7, we give them time to collect themselves. A counselor is always available and when they're ready, we start talking to them. It's important that they come within 72 hours, not to say that they can't come within 2 hours after rape.

Shalom: Unganyakazi sizobuya khona maduzane nje. Siyanamukela futhi kuSiyayinqoba Beat It! Sikhuluma nge Post Exposure Prophylaxis iPEP kafushane. Akhe sibheke isiqephu esilandelayo ngalowo owasinda ekudlwengulweni. (IsiZulu) Stay where you are, we'll be right back. Welcome back to Siyayinqoba Beat It! We are talking about Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, PEP in short. Let's take a look at the insert about a rape survivor.

Amanda Fulani: Sise Siphezeni eLusikisiki sizokuthetha noNomsebenzi Ngxazana nge rape and PEP. Ngoba busuku be rape kwenzeka ntoni (IsiXhosa). We are at Siphezeni in Lusikisiki to talk to Nomsebenzi Ngxasana about rape and PEP. Can you tell us what happened the night you got raped?

Nomsebenzi Ngxazana: Ndeva ngento ekhaba ucango apha emnyango ndaphakama andabona nto ndacinga fanuba zizinja kodwa ndabe ndiqonda ba asiyonja le kuba inja iyankwentsa lento iyakhaba. Yaphinda okwesibini lwabuya ucango lwawa ngaphakathi olu lungezantsi. Ndabe sendivuka wabe sekhokhoba lomntu engena endlini ndaqubula imatches ndaqhwitha ndalayita ekhandleleni weza lomntu thyini ndambona ba ngubanibani lo walicima ikhandlela wangena ezingubeni. Xa ndikhala ndisithi bani wenzani ndimbiza ngegama lakhe kuthiwa nguShlutho lenkwenkwe? Wathi yabona ke sisi vuma lento ndizoyenza futhi ba uyakhala ndizokubulala. Watsho wokhupha imela ke wayibeka phayana ebhedeni entla komqamelelo wayenza yonke into awayefuna ukuyenza njengoba engena ezingubeni walala nam. Kwafonelwa amapolisa kengoku athi amapolisa masihlale silinde sekupha ko 10. Ndemka ndaya emapoliseni ndafika kwathiwa mandichaze ndafaka istatement pha andithatha amapolisa andisa esibhedlela. Watsala igazi ethi ke wenzela ukujonga ba andinayo na lesifo ekuthiwa yingculaza, hayi ke wanditsala wathi unesi andinaso. (IsiXhosa) I heard something kicking at my door and I woke up. At first I thought it was the dogs. It kicked again and my door fell to the ground. I woke up and the person was in my house. I took matches and lit a candle and then I saw who it was. He blew out the candle and got into my bed. I cried out" Shlutho what are you doing?" He told me I should just let him do what he came to do and if I cried he'd kill me. He showed me his knife and he raped me. We called the police and they told us to wait, that was at 10am. The police arrested him and told me to go with to

give a statement. The police took me to hospital. They tested for HIV and the results were negative.

Amanda: Waye wahlamba emveni kokuba ureyitshiwe? (IsiXhosa) Did you wash yourself after you were raped?

Nomsebenzi: Hayi sisi kwakuthiwa ndingahlambi. Aye afonelwa njalo amapolisa athi zendingahlambi eh. (IsiXhosa) No I did not wash. I was told by the police not to.

Amanda: Wayiqala nini iPEP? (IsiXhosa) When did you start PEP?

Nomsebenzi: Ipilisi ndazinikwa ngalomini sisi xa ndibuya esibhedlele kwathiwa ndiqale ke ekuseni njengoba ndabuya kwabe seku late. Kwathiwa ndiqale ekuseni kuba zityiwa ekuseni emini emalanga. Wabe esithi ugqirha zendibuye kumvulo olandelayo ndaphinda ngomvulo wabuza ba ndilala njani na ndamxelela ba andilali kwabuthongo ebusuku okanye ke kuthi ncwaba nje kancinci kodwa ndibuye ndothuke ndicinge lanto yayenzekile. (IsiXhosa) I got the pills the very same day and they told me to take it the next morning and they told me to come back on the following Monday. I went back there and they asked me how I felt. I told them that I sometimes wake up at night thinking of the incident.

Amanda: Ingaba i-counseling wayifumana na yona? (IsiXhosa) Did you get counseling?

Nomsebenzi: Ewe ingcebiso ndayifumana sisi ndiyalala ebusuku, nokucinga futhi kuphelile ukucinga oku apha kum. Ngoba naxa kuncokolwa nam ndiyayincokola nje lento ongathi yinto mhlawumbi engenzekanga ndifuna igqithe apha entliziyweni kum. (IsiXhosa) Yes I got counseling, I can sleep well at night and I don't think about it too much anymore. I now even talk about it.

Amanda: Ingaba zakunceda kanjani ezipilisi kuze ungasuleleki sisifo sikagawulayo? (IsiXhosa) How did PEP help you not to get HIV?

Nomsebenzi: Kugqirha ndanikwa ipilisi eziyi Combivir ukuze ndingosuleleki kwisifo sikagawulayo. (IsiXhosa) The doctor gave me pills, Combivir (AZT and 3TC) now I'm HIV negative.

Luckyboy: Ingabe kuze umuntu a-access iPEP kufanele vele ukuthi ahambe ayovula icase yini na? (IsiZulu) Do you have to open a case before you can get PEP?

Ntuthu: Not kuthi eSimelela thina noba uyivulile noba ungayivulanga icase uyayifumana iPEP. Because kaloku sijonge impilo yakho ukuthi iHIV le ixakileyo ngoku uyaqonda nabantu abaninzi bayosuleleka. So into emandla ngoku kukuthi si prevent iHIV kangangoko kubantu abangakayifumani. So eyovula icase kengoku umntu ixhomekeka kuye yenye ye options ezikhoyo ukuthi angavula icase xa efuna okanye angavuli (IsiXhosa). Not at Simelela. We will give you PEP even if you don't open a case. We care more about your health because HIV is getting out of hand. The most important thing now is to prevent the spread of HIV. Opening a case is just an option that a person can take, it's not compulsory.

Busi Maqungo: Ingaba le PEP sisi Ntuthu i-available kuzo zonke ilantuka ikliniki zikarhulumente? Senditsho ba masithethe ngomntu ongekhoyo uSimelela ulapha eWestern Cape mos ne, sithetha ngomntu oseKZN noseMpumalanga njalo-njalo. Uyakwazi ba avele aye kwikliniki ekufutshane naye ayochaza intoyokuba I've been raped and ndicela iPEP uyakwazi ukuyifumana? Is it available for wonke umntu? (IsiXhosa) Is PEP available from all government clinics? Simelela is in the Western Cape, I'm thinking about someone in KZN or Mpumalanga for instance, can they just go to the clinic and say I've been raped and I want PEP? Can they get it, is it available for everyone?

Ntuthu: IPEP lena bethuna ewe ikhona kodwa kwindawo zikarhulumente basasokola kakhulu ukuthi bayifumane. Ngoko mthetho ekubhalweni pha phantsi kufanele ukuthi ikhona but kengoku xa usiya uyayifuna ufumanisa bana awuzokuyifumana until mhlawumbi ude ube unomntu omaziyo okanye kwenzeka ntoni uyaqonda. That's why ndithi I think kufuneka umntu niziyele nina kwizibhedlele zikarhulumente nive ukuthi kanye kanye kwenzakala ntoni. (IsiXhosa) PEP is available but people are struggling to get it from public healthcare facilities. According to the law, in black and white, it's supposed to be accessible but if you go and ask for it, you won't get it unless you know someone there or something like that. That's why we should go to the public facilities and find out what's going on.

Luckyboy: Iqiniso into usisi Ntuthu ayishoyo like mina kwi area yami engihlala kuyo ne, yibhedlela eziyi2 kuphela. Sineyibhedlela eziyi2 like ze government then besesinama local clinics. Itholakala eyibhedlela kuphela. So noma irape yenzakale ku ukuthi uselokshini you still have to travel ukuthi uye esibhedlela in order for ukuthi ukwazi ukuthi uthole iPEP. Whereas like bekuzobangcono ukube beyitholakala like nakuma local clinics uya understand. (IsiZulu) What Ntuthu is saying is true. In the area where I come from we have two government hospitals and various local clinics. PEP is only accessible from the hospitals so even if a rape occurs in the township, you still have to travel to the hospital in order to get PEP. Whereas it would be much easier if it was available from the local clinics.

Pholokgolo: (SeSotho) I think what Luckyboy is saying clearly PEP should be available in all primary healthcare centers. If you say it's only available in 400 facilities in the country whereas we have 4000, you can see that there's need to increase accessibility of PEP in all clinics.

Busi: Iya ngoba kaloku irape yenye yezinto ezidala intoyokuba iHIV mayande kangaka and if sifuna intoyokuba masi reach i-goals zethu enye yegoals zethu zeNSP that by 2011 we're cutting new infections by half then iPEP is part of yonke lonto leyo bamayisike lahafu ye new infections. (IsiXhosa) Yes because rape is one of the contributing factors in the spread of HIV and if we want to reach one of our goals that by 2011 we're cutting new infections by half, then PEP is part of cutting those new infections in half.

Shalom: Sisathatha ikhefu siyabuya khona manje. Siyanamukela futhi kuSiyayinqoba Beat It! Sikhuluma nge Post Exposure Prophylaxis okungukuthi yimishwanguzo ongayithatha emva kokuthi uvele kakhulu emathubeni okuthola isandulela ngculaza. Ingavikela ukuthi ungasuleleki. Akhe siyobuka udaba lwethu olulandelayo.  (IsiZulu) We're taking a quick break, we will be right back. Welcome back to Siyayinqoba Beat It! We're talking about Post-Exposure Prophylaxis which are drugs you can take after you have been exposed to HIV that can prevent you from becoming infected. Let's watch our next story.

Merisha: Today we're at kwaDebeka talking to Thembelihle who's going to tell us how she got PEP after her condom broke. Tell us your story Thembelihle.

Thembelihle Mshengu: Ngobunye ubusuku kwaba ne incident yokuthi kwagqabhuka icondom kade ngisecantsini nengangithandana naye ngalesosikhathi. Ekubeni engathandana naye waye HIV positive mina ngi negative wangeluleka ukuthi asivuke sihambe siye emthola mpilo la esizofika khona sithole usizo nePEP treatment ukuze umuntu avikeleke ekutheni athole igciwane. Bangi tester mina baphinda banginikeza nama treatment for ama STI's ama-antibiotics ama morning after pill. Umuntu walinda ke elinde udokotela ukuthi udokotela asinekeze amapilisi lawe PEP treatment. Yilapho ke ekwaqala khona ethi udokotela ngekhe aze akwazi ukusinikeza ngoba banikeza abantu abekade bereyitshiwe nabantu ababesengozini yokuthi bagwazwe yinaliti mhlawumpe kade esiza umuntu noma hlobo luni lwengozi oluthinta iHIV. Udokotela wangibhalela incwadi ukuthi ngihambe ngiye ephamarcy la engiyofika ngithenge khona lawo mapilisi engizowaphuza for 28 days. (IsiZulu) One night when I was having sex with my partner, the condom broke. My partner is HIV positive and I am negative. I suggested we go to the clinic in the morning so that we could get necessary work and PEP treatment so that I could protect myself from getting HIV. I was tested, I got STI treatment, antibiotics and the morning after pill. Then we waited for the doctor to give us the pills for PEP treatment. That is when the problem started the doctor refused to give us PEP. He said they only give PEP to rape survivors and people who are pricked with needles to prevent them from getting HIV. The doctor gave me a prescription so I could get the pills at the pharmacy. He said I should take it for 28 days.

Merisha: How much did the PEP treatment cost?

Thembelihle: Ma isihlangene yonke for u28 days kwakubalelwa cishe ku R1200. (IsiZulu) In total for the full 28 day of treatment it cost R1200.

Merisha: How do you feel about the fact that you can not get PEP treatment from government hospitals when the condom breaks?

Thembelihle: Labantu abaningi abantu abangenayo imali ma kwenzeka ingozi uthi uyemthola mpilo uthole ukuthi utshelwe ukuthi it's your fault kuyinkinga. We need isupport from ugovernment. Emva kokuthi sengiyiqedile itreatment ye PEP ngadlulisa inyanga eyintathu ngaphindela ngaya emthola mpilo ngayo tester. Nala ngathola khona ukuthi imiphumela isathi ngi-negative ukukhombisa ukuthi itreatment engayithola epharmacy iyasebenza. Kodwa ngeshwa angazi noba ngizothi ngeshwa noma ngenhlahla ama morning after pill awzange asebenze ngoba ngathola umntwana igama lakhe Unomandla. (IsiZulu) Most people don't have money. So when a condom breaks and you get to a clinic and they tell you told it's your fault that is a problem. We need support form government. After I finished my PEP, 3months later I went to the clinic for a test, I tested negative. That meant that the treatment I got from the pharmacy worked. I don't know if I should say unfortunately or fortunately, the morning after pill did not work because I have a baby and her name is Nomandla.

Shalom: Le insert iyangijabulisa usisi lo uchaza i-success yePEP. Kodwa into engiwarishayo njengomuntu ophila almost impilo efana neyakhe othandana nomuntu olokunjana o negative. Iya ngi affect le way eyenzakalayo yentoyokubana thina we being discriminated against. Ekubeni people just say "live positively!" How can I live positively xa ndizaba necondom break then ipartner is going to freak out angazi ba uzakuyifumana phi iPEP? (IsiZulu) The insert makes me happy, it's a PEP success story. The one thing that worries me is that, like her, I am also in a relationship with a partner who is negative. I'm affected because we're being discriminated against. People just say "live positively!" How can I live positively if when the condom breaks my partner freaks out because he can't get PEP?

Luckyboy: Which can lead to abantu ukuthi they will start ukuthi baye emakliniki and start ukukhuluma amanga ukuthi ngireyitshiwe ngingareyitshwanga just because afuna ukuthi akwazi ukuthi a-access iPEP (IsiZulu) Which can lead to people lying at the clinic and saying that they've been raped just because they want PEP.

Busi: Actually mna into endiyicingayo ngalento yePEP kwi sero-discordant couples is that okokuqala izakwenza abantu intoyokuba babe honest ngokuba open nge status zabo kwki partners zabo. That look yes I'm HIV positive if kungenzeka ingozi singavuka siye ekliniki, kwenzela ba bakunike amapilisi wena wokuba ungathinteki kule HIV so akhonto unoyosabela kulonto leyo (IsiXhosa). What I think about PEP for sero-discordant couples is that it's going to make people be honest about their HIV status to their partners. Yes I'm HIV positive and should something happen we can go to the clinic and ask for PEP so that you don't get infected with HIV. So you don't have to be afraid.

Pholokgolo: (SeSotho) I think until that happens, where PEP is available in all clinics and also allowing sero-discordant couples to get Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, you can get it from a private clinic. But what I picked up in the insert is that Combivir cost her R1200. My understanding is that it has gone down by R500, it's still a lot but I think she paid more than double the amount.

Shalom: (SeSotho) But then again Pholo, sometimes we don't have this money. Even R500 it's still a lot. Why can't government just give it to me because...

Pholokgolo: (SeSotho) Another important point that came out of the insert is that she ended up being able to get prescription because the hospital or clinic couldn't give him PEP after condom breakage. It sets a good example that doctors in the public health facilities, if you can't get PEP for condom breakage, they can give you a script to go and buy it. I also don't think it should be a ticket especially for general practitioners to just give out scripts to anybody. Because then people go and have reckless sex knowing that they will go and get PEP.

Shalom: Uma ukhe wavela esimeni sokuthola isandulela ngculaza ngenxa yokuhlukunyezwa ngokocantsi ungathola iPEP mahala kunoma yimuphi umthola mpilo. Kufanele uvume ukuhlolela isandulela ngculaza uma lingatholakali uzonikezwa Ipep. Kumele uye emthola mpilo emahoreni angamashumi ayisikhombisa nambili emva kokuvela egciwaneni. Kumele sicele urhulumeni ayenze iPEP itholakale