Montag, 2. März 2009
Venerandas funeral- Vene`s Begräbnis
Veneranda has finally been laid at her final resting place in Iniho. There were more than 200 people at the funeral. This shows how her life touched hundreds in and out of Makete.
At 1930 hrs they arrived in Lupaso from Iniho and were still in the office comforting one another before going to their respective homes.
Many PIUMA members who could be reached by phone attended the funeral, the majority from Iniho. As the vehicle that carried her body approached areas where some of the members live, some locals expressed their condolences and others joined in on foot escorting Veneranda on her last journey home.
From the orphanage the Head, assistant head and 2 carers were accompanied by four older children from Mwakauta Secondary School to the funeral. They went with the center’s vehicle which also carried the Lutheran Pastor of the Diocese. The Yatima Center donated 20 kilos of rice, 5kg of sugar, 5 packets of salt and a burial cloth.
Veneranda’s Bulongwa Secondary sent to the funeral about 50 students, 5 teachers and two cooks in a hired vehicle to pay their last respect. It was devastating for all of them. She was very popular! Students helped Iniho village leadership in digging the grave. The school donated 20 kg of rice, 5kg of sugar, 20kg of beans, cooking oil and a burial cloth.
Apart from the vehicle that carried Veneranda two more hired vehicles ferried people and food stuff to Iniho.
Sister Anne was informed about Veneranda’s demise last night. She said, “Pole”.
No representative from BLH and Bulongwa local authority.
PIUMA also got a burial cloth for their youngest member in the group. All three pieces were used to cover after she was dressed up in one of her favourite attires.
Witness said that Veneranda’s death has reminded PIUMA about the importance of having their own dispensary. It has made them even more determined than ever to do whatever is in their power including spending more time on voluntary work to speed up the completion of the building. “She died because she was late in getting the much needed treatment,” Witness said. “If we had our own dispensary Veneranda could have been with us today.”
Vicky Ntetema
Bureau Chief
BBC, Tanzania
8th Floor, PPF House
Samora Avenue/ Morogoro Rd
P.O. Box 79545,
Dar es Salaam
Tanzania
website: www.bbc.co.uk
www.bbcswahili.com
At 1930 hrs they arrived in Lupaso from Iniho and were still in the office comforting one another before going to their respective homes.
Many PIUMA members who could be reached by phone attended the funeral, the majority from Iniho. As the vehicle that carried her body approached areas where some of the members live, some locals expressed their condolences and others joined in on foot escorting Veneranda on her last journey home.
From the orphanage the Head, assistant head and 2 carers were accompanied by four older children from Mwakauta Secondary School to the funeral. They went with the center’s vehicle which also carried the Lutheran Pastor of the Diocese. The Yatima Center donated 20 kilos of rice, 5kg of sugar, 5 packets of salt and a burial cloth.
Veneranda’s Bulongwa Secondary sent to the funeral about 50 students, 5 teachers and two cooks in a hired vehicle to pay their last respect. It was devastating for all of them. She was very popular! Students helped Iniho village leadership in digging the grave. The school donated 20 kg of rice, 5kg of sugar, 20kg of beans, cooking oil and a burial cloth.
Apart from the vehicle that carried Veneranda two more hired vehicles ferried people and food stuff to Iniho.
Sister Anne was informed about Veneranda’s demise last night. She said, “Pole”.
No representative from BLH and Bulongwa local authority.
PIUMA also got a burial cloth for their youngest member in the group. All three pieces were used to cover after she was dressed up in one of her favourite attires.
Witness said that Veneranda’s death has reminded PIUMA about the importance of having their own dispensary. It has made them even more determined than ever to do whatever is in their power including spending more time on voluntary work to speed up the completion of the building. “She died because she was late in getting the much needed treatment,” Witness said. “If we had our own dispensary Veneranda could have been with us today.”
Vicky Ntetema
Bureau Chief
BBC, Tanzania
8th Floor, PPF House
Samora Avenue/ Morogoro Rd
P.O. Box 79545,
Dar es Salaam
Tanzania
website: www.bbc.co.uk
www.bbcswahili.com
Sonntag, 1. März 2009
Zu spät für Veneranda- ein sehr trauriger Tag
Veneranda- die zweite von links
28. Feb. 2009
Wie konnte ds geschehen?
Das hätte nicht passieren müssen.
Veneranda, ein HIV- Aids krankes Waisenkind aus dem Waisenhaus in Bulongwa, in dem ich vor 3 Jahren arbeitete ist soeben gestorben. Sie starb heute um 17:30 im Ikonda- Krankenhaus. Mich hat ihr Tod stark getroffen, da ich viel Zeit mit ihr verbracht hatte und ihren Kampf laufend mit verfolgt hatte. An dem Tag, 2006, an dem die CTC- Klinik gewaltvoll geschlossen wurde, stand sie in dem Haus von Dr. Brandl und weinte. Sie meinte wenn er gehe, würde sie sterben. Wir versuchten sie zu beruhigen und versprachen, alles würde wieder gut und gemeinsam würden wir gewinnen- es waren immerhin genug Menschen da, die sich um sie kümmerten. Das letzte Mal als sie im Krankenhaus lag, etwa vor einem Monat, sprach ich mit ihr und sie bat mich darum für sie zu beten.
Der Tod ist überall und Menschen müssen einmal sterben, aber Venerandas Tod und der vieler anderer hätte nicht sein müssen. Nicht die Krankheit tötete sie schlussendlich nach einem langen Kampf, es war die Gleichgültigkeit und der Stolz jener Menschen, welche sich nicht eingestehen konnten, dass das Bulongwa Lutheran Hospital (BLH) kein effizientes Service bieten kann, um ein schwer krankes Mädchen ausreichend zu versorgen. Veneranda (16) wurde nach dem gewaltvollen Schließen der Care and Treatment Clinic im BLH, kaum auf ihr CD4 getestet. Und wurde sie getestet, reagierte jedoch niemand auf ihre CD4- Werte, die über die letzten 3 Jahre bedeutend gesunken waren.
Trotz mehrerer Krankheitsschübe und Krankenheitsaufenthalte, wurden keine Initiativen ergriffen seitens des Krankenhauses und des Waisenhauses. Nur PIUMA versucht mehrmals Gespräche mit den für Veneranda zuständigen Personen zu führen, was zwar teilweise auf Verständnis stieß, aber dennoch zu keinen Maßnahmen führte.
In diesem Zusammenhang möchte ich von Sister Anna erzählen, die mich hier am allermeisten enttäuscht hat. Sie ist eine schwedische Missionsschwester, in Bulongwa seit 40 Jahren tätig. Sie hatte auf die Anschuldigen an die Kirche und Maßnamen in den Medien bezüglich der großen Geldveruntreuungen im BLH, sehr emotional reagiert und sah jene welche an der Spitze der Demonstrationen standen, als die schmutzigsten und schlechtesten Menschen an. Das lag warscheinlich auch daran, dass sie ihre heile, wenn auch im Inneren noch viel schmutzigere Welt der Kirche und der Mission, aufrechterhalten wollte. Sie war und ist bis heute besonders gut darin, ihre Augen vor Diebstählen und Geldveruntreuungen zu verschließen. Diesbezüglich hatte ich auch vor einem Jahr eine große Auseinandersetzung mit ihr.
Nach wie vor ist meiner Meinung nach offensichtlich, dass ihr ihr eigener Stolz im Bezug auf Venerandas Therapie, wichtiger war, als Venerandas Leben. Sie hatte sich gegen PIUMA`s Unterstützung und Beratungsgespräche mehrfach gewehrt und aus Trotz Veneranda schon einmal in das PIUMA- Büro bringen wollen- sollten die PIUMA`s sich um sie kümmern, wenn sie es besser wissen- da ein harmloser Artikel über Veneranda auf der Web- side von PIUMA stand.
Und nun gegen Ende von Venerandas Leben, ließ sie sich nach langen Gesprächen endlich dazu überreden, Veneranda in das 4 Stunden entfernte Ikonda- Hospital zu bringen, wo sie die lebensrettenden Tests und Medikamente beziehen kann. Natürlich ohne jegliche Unterstützung seitens des Waisenhauses anhand von Personal und Transportkosten. Der Stolz und gleichzeitig Angst das eigene Krankenhaus so in den Schatten zu stellen muss ganz stark gewesen sein- eine Trotzreaktion auf freche Interventionen die etwas in Frage stellen könnten. Sie pries sich selbst immer als eine von Gott Gesandte, die alle Menschen liebe und allen helfen wolle. Sie hatte das auch sicher versucht und teilweise getan, aber seit Jahren muss sie eindeutig versagt haben. Was Veneranda nun betrifft, war sie bei aller Arbeit die sie bisher seit Kolonialzeit angeleitet hatte, hier anscheinend nicht fähig genug ein ihr nahestehendes Waisenkind, dass sie jeden Tag sieht, in ein gutens Krankenhaus zu bringen. Nicht zu vergessen, dass sie Krankenschwester ist.
Juma, der Clinical Officer PIUMA`s, hatte sie nach Ikonda begleitet und als sie dort angekommen waren, war es im Krankenhausbett bereits zu spät für Veneranda.
Zu spät um ihre Leberwerte und ihren CD4- Stand zu messen, zu spät für weitere Hoffnungen und Versprechen. Zu spät.
Veneranda war ein sonniges und stets aufgewecktes Wesen. Sie konnte singen und tanzen, dass mir die Seele im Leib lachte. Sie konnte auch frech und wild sein und das war auch gut so. Sie erfüllte das Waisenhaus regelmäßig mit ihren Witzen und kümmerte sich stets um die anderen Kinder, welche wie sie die ARV- Medikamente nehmen mussten. Ihre Krankheit gab ihr immer schon eine Sonderstellung- sie wurde sogar zu einer kleinen Prinzessin durch die vielen Interviews die sie gab und die vielen Vorteile in Essen und Kleidung, die sie sich im Waisenhaus leisten durfte. Die Prinzessin war jedoch auch eine Außenseiterin- doch anders als alle anderen. Darunter muss sie auch sehr gelitten haben- sie war um einiges kleiner als andere Kinder ihres Alters und durch ihre Krankheit war sie auch oft gehindert an allen Aktivitäten wie andere Kinder teilzunehmen.
Sie hatte mir damals viel über sich erzählt, über ihr Leben vor dem Waisenhaus, über ihre Geschwister und Cousinen, welche noch in ihrem Heimatort auf dem kalten Erdboden schlafen. Als ich vor einem Jahr das letzte Mal in Tanzania war und erfuhr dass Veneranda ihre Medikamente bewusst aber geheim abgebrochen hatte, sprach ich sie darauf an und fragte warum sie das getan hätte. Da sagte sie:“ Nilitaka kufa.“ Was heißt- „Ich wollte sterben.“ Sie tat das innsgesamt 3 Mal und jedes Mal kam sie noch über die Runden. Einmal tat sie es, weil ihr ihre Krankheit vor ihren Freundinnen peinlich war, oder sie dürfte diskriminiert worden sein von anderen Schulkindern. Ihr Kampf hatte sich lange durchgezogen- vermutlich anhand einer andauernden Frustrationsphase. Sie wusste, sie ist anders. Dies brachte ihr so manche Vor- aber auch Nachteile. Aber schlussendlich dürfte dieses Gefühl, ein Leben lang an Medikamente gebunden und krank zu sein überwogen haben.
Was mich hier noch viel tiefer trifft ist als die Tatsache, dass Veneranda tot ist, ist, dass noch viele andere weiter leiden und sterben werden, aufgrund des schlechten Services und aufgrund machtgieriger Autoritäten. Sie war eines der positiven Beispiele, dass man an HIV/Aids nicht mehr sterben muss- sie war eine von denen, die über ihre Krankheit sprach und somit ein Hoffnungssymbol darstellte.
Sie soll nicht umsonst gestorben sein- nehmen wir es als ein Zeichen, dass etwas geschehen muss. Es muss etwas geschehen, um das Menschenrecht auf eine gute Behandlung erfüllt wird und das Leiden endlich ein Ende nimmt. Der Tod Venerandas soll vielleicht zeigen, dass nicht mehr gewartet werden soll, jeder Tag- jede Minute zählt. Es ist Zeit dass Menschen wieder aufstehen und um ihre Rechte kämpfen- um ihr Recht auf Leben.
Elisabeth Zenz
Mehr und ausführlicher hier von Vicky Ntetema (BBC)
Text of Jakckson Mbogela- former PIUMA- Koordinator
When she was tested positive she believed that she can live only if she was given an opportunity to do, she enrolled herself in the CTC and started taking ARV. She was let down by the authority and yet she was fighting for her life with all her energy and means, she never missed lesson in class and she had always stand forward in helping others. She had been in my house many time and she could feel not tired to do whatever house work available all the time, she helped carrying and taking care of young children from the orphanage. She was STRONG she never said I am sick I can not do this, she always says I will try, and she tried.
She will remain a symbol of Hope, a symbol of determination. PLWHA, PIUMA and all of us we have the lesson to learn from the death of Veneranda, I am so touched by this death, it is painful to accept that the life of an innocent girl has been interrupted so unjustly.
This is becomes again another reason why we need to stand strong and united to fight and Injustices and corruption. Veneranda’s death tells us that in every minute that passes with injustices being entertained someone life is put in stake.
Could spirit of PAMOJA, the spirit that created PIUMA , the voice of the roaring Lion in the hills be embodied within our spirit.
Thank Juma, Thank PIUMA, Thank you all, thank you all we tried, we tried, it was important that we tried, let us not hesitate to try again,,,,,,
She will remain a symbol of Hope, a symbol of determination. PLWHA, PIUMA and all of us we have the lesson to learn from the death of Veneranda, I am so touched by this death, it is painful to accept that the life of an innocent girl has been interrupted so unjustly.
This is becomes again another reason why we need to stand strong and united to fight and Injustices and corruption. Veneranda’s death tells us that in every minute that passes with injustices being entertained someone life is put in stake.
Could spirit of PAMOJA, the spirit that created PIUMA , the voice of the roaring Lion in the hills be embodied within our spirit.
Thank Juma, Thank PIUMA, Thank you all, thank you all we tried, we tried, it was important that we tried, let us not hesitate to try again,,,,,,
Text for Veneranda by Vicky Ntetema
Veneranda is not another statistics!
28th February may be last day of the second month of year 2009! But regrettably, it is also the last day of Veneranda Sanga’s life, who since her childhood had been battling with the virus that causes AIDS. She passed away today at 1930 hrs in Ikonda Roman Catholic Mission Hospital while undergoing further tests to ascertain the illness that had weakened the once very energetic teenager. May her soul rest in eternal peace! Amen.
It is hard to believe that I will not see that happy, tough, caring and ever smiling girl whose short life had touched many in Bulongwa, the village where she lived and Makete District in general, in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. The area is one of the districts in the country with the highest rate of HIV prevalence at 20% and the highest number of orphans (at 20,000 out of a population of 105,000) whose parents died of the scourge.
Veneranda did not behave like an orphan at all! She was always happy and ready to help other orphans and even adults who she thought needed assistance more than her. When in 2005 I met her for the first time at the Bulongwa Hospital orphanage, I could not believe that she was one of children who had HIV. She was bubbly and full of vigour and laughter and she would go round the dormitories reminding other children to take their medicine.
She carried and looked after the youngest orphans as if she were an adult. She did some chores in the premises without being asked to do so. She was the first to wake up and the last child to go to bed ensuring that everyone was safely tucked in bed. That is the Veneranda I know!
It is very difficult for me to speak of her in the past tense.
The little girl from Iniho village who taught many in the area and further afield patience, resilience, tolerance and showed love and care for every human being is NO MORE!
As the youngest PIUMA member (a Bulongwa-based self help group of People Living With HIV and AIDS), she joined the rest of the group on the grounds of Tandala Teachers’ College to ask Honourable Jakaya Kikwete who was campaigning for presidency to ensure that they get proper treatment and care. He promised to bring about changes and better life for every Tanzanian. Mr. Kikwete put on Veneranda a reassuring hand in a special photograph showing that if he came to power, he will make sure that PLWHAs get access to VCTs, CTCs and all medical services needed to treat them.
Mr. Kikwete with Veneranda Sanga (centre) and other members of PIUMA on 2nd December 2005
He promised to work with everybody from in and out of Tanzania to save the lives of his people because there is NO NEED TO DIE just because one has contracted the AIDS virus. That was on 2nd December 2005 a day after a German company PARTEC donated to PIUMA a machine that has the ability to determine CD4 percentage of children (an essential therapeutic test); a day after PIUMA was officially inaugurated by Dr. Kapinga the then Makete District Commissioner. He also promised to work with PLWHAs to ensure that people like Veneranda do not need to die because of lack of treatment and care! 12 days later the country went to the polls to elect their lawmakers and president. On December 17th 2005 Mr. Kikwete was declared the winner of the presidential race by more than 80%. His party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi – CCM also won by more than 80% of the votes. On December 21st 2005 the CCM presidential candidate became the youngest and 4th Head of State of Tanzania.
Veneranda and all the PLWHAs in Bulongwa had their eyes directed to Dar es Salaam’s State House, hoping that their health conditions would improve. A year later, after more than 270 million Tanzanian shillings from Global Funds was embezzled from the district coffers and the culprits went unpunished, and after more than 270 million Tanzanian shillings was stolen from Bulongwa Lutheran Hospital (BLH) and again five members of the management team went scot-free the HIV and AIDS clinic funded by Austrian EAWM was closed and its machines, including liver function machine were confiscated, its staff harassed and patients denied the right to be treated. Why? Simply because Veneranda and her PLWHA brothers and sisters in the war against HIV and AIDS and for justice and human rights had registered their protest against the thieves and corrupt system! Simply because they demanded accountability from the powers-that be!
PLWHAs like Veneranda in Bulongwa had nowhere to go for treatment and although they had ARVs, adherence and regular check-ups were problematic. BLH got another machine which does not determine the CD4 percentage for children. The clinic also did not have liver-function machines. So Veneranda and other PLWHAs were not properly treated. The machine does not work and so HIV blood tests had to be sent to Ikonda or Makete and TANWAT hospitals miles away. BLH does not provide transport for its patients because there is no ambulance. When bidding the foreign medical staff goodbye after the 12th April 2006 lockout, Veneranda told one of her doctors, “Please do not go, because without you I will die!” The doctor reassured her that she will not die because of HIV if she got proper treatment and care! Did she predict her death? Was she being realistic knowing that the management and the government of Tanzania and politicians would not deliver their promises?
More than 45 people with the virus died in a period of one year and more continue to die in Bulongwa because of lack of proper treatment and care following the closure and expulsion from the hospital of qualified medical staff including foreign medical volunteers. Where are the promises that President Jakaya Kikwete made to Veneranda and other PLHWAs? What will he and the ruling party CCM tell Makete PLWHAs when election campaigns start all over again before the 2010 general elections?
Mr. President and First Lady Salma Kikwete on 14th July 2007 set a good example in the war against HIV and AIDS by being the first to be counseled and tested. It was the beginning of the campaign titled, “Tanzania without HIV and AIDS is Possible!” The Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. David Homeli Mwakyusa told Tanzanians on February 27th 2008 that the response to voluntary testing is now picking up as a result of the campaign of the same launched by the president. That was less than 24 hours before she lost the battle to the unnecessary death. From her deep sleep, Veneranda and many who have lost their lives not to the virus but because of corruption, lack of proper treatment and care would surely ask you “what is the point of testing and knowing your HIV status if in the remote areas of Tanzania you cannot get the right medication?” How will they be better treated if they do not know their CD4 Count? Veneranda was born with the infection and lived her short life with ARVs and there was no reason for her to die today!
Where is the Makete CCM Member of parliament Hon. Dr. Binilith Mahenge who promised to improve the health services among many other things for his voters? Where is Honorable Lediana Mafuru Mng’ong’o, Member of Parliament who hails from Makete and who is a member of a parliamentary committee dealing with HIV and AIDS issues? Where is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania - ELCT and the South-Central Diocese - SCD of Makete which claim to care for the poor, the needy, the sick and the dying? Do they know the qualifications of the medical team they have employed at the Bulongwa Lutheran Hospital?
When Veneranda fell ill last year while in her second year at a secondary school, she was taken to Bulongwa Lutheran Hospital. Her condition did not improve. Attempts to save her life took her on a hired vehicle to Ikonda Hospital. And now that sweet, ever smiling and caring young girl is gone!
Veneranda is one of many people living with HIV and AIDS in Tanzania who did not have to die! How many more Venerandas should continue to suffer and die as a result of corruption and lack of political will to save lives of PLWHAs? When will the Ministry of Health realize that some HIV and AIDS kits are not suitable for rural Tanzania and also are not children-friendly? When will the authority realize that Voluntary Counseling and Testing is meaningless if not followed up by proper treatment and care including regular check-ups of CD4 percentage?
The authorities have failed Veneranda and many others who were not supposed to die!
The passing on of Veneranda should be a wakeup call for the Ministry of Health and the government in general to improve their HIV and AIDS clinics in rural Tanzania equipping them with machines that work and competent and qualified medical teams. Lost in her deep sleep, Veneranda’s message to President Jakaya Kikwete, his government and parliamentarians is “Tanzania without HIV and AIDS is IMPOSSIBLE if the above are not implemented!”
Do not allow Veneranda become another statistics, Mr. President! Remember the reassuring hand over her shoulder in December 2005 during CCM election campaign!
Veneranda, you have not died in vain! Rest in eternal peace our little friend, the fighter, the carer, the guardian angel and the symbol of hope! Amen.
28th February may be last day of the second month of year 2009! But regrettably, it is also the last day of Veneranda Sanga’s life, who since her childhood had been battling with the virus that causes AIDS. She passed away today at 1930 hrs in Ikonda Roman Catholic Mission Hospital while undergoing further tests to ascertain the illness that had weakened the once very energetic teenager. May her soul rest in eternal peace! Amen.
It is hard to believe that I will not see that happy, tough, caring and ever smiling girl whose short life had touched many in Bulongwa, the village where she lived and Makete District in general, in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. The area is one of the districts in the country with the highest rate of HIV prevalence at 20% and the highest number of orphans (at 20,000 out of a population of 105,000) whose parents died of the scourge.
Veneranda did not behave like an orphan at all! She was always happy and ready to help other orphans and even adults who she thought needed assistance more than her. When in 2005 I met her for the first time at the Bulongwa Hospital orphanage, I could not believe that she was one of children who had HIV. She was bubbly and full of vigour and laughter and she would go round the dormitories reminding other children to take their medicine.
She carried and looked after the youngest orphans as if she were an adult. She did some chores in the premises without being asked to do so. She was the first to wake up and the last child to go to bed ensuring that everyone was safely tucked in bed. That is the Veneranda I know!
It is very difficult for me to speak of her in the past tense.
The little girl from Iniho village who taught many in the area and further afield patience, resilience, tolerance and showed love and care for every human being is NO MORE!
As the youngest PIUMA member (a Bulongwa-based self help group of People Living With HIV and AIDS), she joined the rest of the group on the grounds of Tandala Teachers’ College to ask Honourable Jakaya Kikwete who was campaigning for presidency to ensure that they get proper treatment and care. He promised to bring about changes and better life for every Tanzanian. Mr. Kikwete put on Veneranda a reassuring hand in a special photograph showing that if he came to power, he will make sure that PLWHAs get access to VCTs, CTCs and all medical services needed to treat them.
Mr. Kikwete with Veneranda Sanga (centre) and other members of PIUMA on 2nd December 2005
He promised to work with everybody from in and out of Tanzania to save the lives of his people because there is NO NEED TO DIE just because one has contracted the AIDS virus. That was on 2nd December 2005 a day after a German company PARTEC donated to PIUMA a machine that has the ability to determine CD4 percentage of children (an essential therapeutic test); a day after PIUMA was officially inaugurated by Dr. Kapinga the then Makete District Commissioner. He also promised to work with PLWHAs to ensure that people like Veneranda do not need to die because of lack of treatment and care! 12 days later the country went to the polls to elect their lawmakers and president. On December 17th 2005 Mr. Kikwete was declared the winner of the presidential race by more than 80%. His party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi – CCM also won by more than 80% of the votes. On December 21st 2005 the CCM presidential candidate became the youngest and 4th Head of State of Tanzania.
Veneranda and all the PLWHAs in Bulongwa had their eyes directed to Dar es Salaam’s State House, hoping that their health conditions would improve. A year later, after more than 270 million Tanzanian shillings from Global Funds was embezzled from the district coffers and the culprits went unpunished, and after more than 270 million Tanzanian shillings was stolen from Bulongwa Lutheran Hospital (BLH) and again five members of the management team went scot-free the HIV and AIDS clinic funded by Austrian EAWM was closed and its machines, including liver function machine were confiscated, its staff harassed and patients denied the right to be treated. Why? Simply because Veneranda and her PLWHA brothers and sisters in the war against HIV and AIDS and for justice and human rights had registered their protest against the thieves and corrupt system! Simply because they demanded accountability from the powers-that be!
PLWHAs like Veneranda in Bulongwa had nowhere to go for treatment and although they had ARVs, adherence and regular check-ups were problematic. BLH got another machine which does not determine the CD4 percentage for children. The clinic also did not have liver-function machines. So Veneranda and other PLWHAs were not properly treated. The machine does not work and so HIV blood tests had to be sent to Ikonda or Makete and TANWAT hospitals miles away. BLH does not provide transport for its patients because there is no ambulance. When bidding the foreign medical staff goodbye after the 12th April 2006 lockout, Veneranda told one of her doctors, “Please do not go, because without you I will die!” The doctor reassured her that she will not die because of HIV if she got proper treatment and care! Did she predict her death? Was she being realistic knowing that the management and the government of Tanzania and politicians would not deliver their promises?
More than 45 people with the virus died in a period of one year and more continue to die in Bulongwa because of lack of proper treatment and care following the closure and expulsion from the hospital of qualified medical staff including foreign medical volunteers. Where are the promises that President Jakaya Kikwete made to Veneranda and other PLHWAs? What will he and the ruling party CCM tell Makete PLWHAs when election campaigns start all over again before the 2010 general elections?
Mr. President and First Lady Salma Kikwete on 14th July 2007 set a good example in the war against HIV and AIDS by being the first to be counseled and tested. It was the beginning of the campaign titled, “Tanzania without HIV and AIDS is Possible!” The Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. David Homeli Mwakyusa told Tanzanians on February 27th 2008 that the response to voluntary testing is now picking up as a result of the campaign of the same launched by the president. That was less than 24 hours before she lost the battle to the unnecessary death. From her deep sleep, Veneranda and many who have lost their lives not to the virus but because of corruption, lack of proper treatment and care would surely ask you “what is the point of testing and knowing your HIV status if in the remote areas of Tanzania you cannot get the right medication?” How will they be better treated if they do not know their CD4 Count? Veneranda was born with the infection and lived her short life with ARVs and there was no reason for her to die today!
Where is the Makete CCM Member of parliament Hon. Dr. Binilith Mahenge who promised to improve the health services among many other things for his voters? Where is Honorable Lediana Mafuru Mng’ong’o, Member of Parliament who hails from Makete and who is a member of a parliamentary committee dealing with HIV and AIDS issues? Where is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania - ELCT and the South-Central Diocese - SCD of Makete which claim to care for the poor, the needy, the sick and the dying? Do they know the qualifications of the medical team they have employed at the Bulongwa Lutheran Hospital?
When Veneranda fell ill last year while in her second year at a secondary school, she was taken to Bulongwa Lutheran Hospital. Her condition did not improve. Attempts to save her life took her on a hired vehicle to Ikonda Hospital. And now that sweet, ever smiling and caring young girl is gone!
Veneranda is one of many people living with HIV and AIDS in Tanzania who did not have to die! How many more Venerandas should continue to suffer and die as a result of corruption and lack of political will to save lives of PLWHAs? When will the Ministry of Health realize that some HIV and AIDS kits are not suitable for rural Tanzania and also are not children-friendly? When will the authority realize that Voluntary Counseling and Testing is meaningless if not followed up by proper treatment and care including regular check-ups of CD4 percentage?
The authorities have failed Veneranda and many others who were not supposed to die!
The passing on of Veneranda should be a wakeup call for the Ministry of Health and the government in general to improve their HIV and AIDS clinics in rural Tanzania equipping them with machines that work and competent and qualified medical teams. Lost in her deep sleep, Veneranda’s message to President Jakaya Kikwete, his government and parliamentarians is “Tanzania without HIV and AIDS is IMPOSSIBLE if the above are not implemented!”
Do not allow Veneranda become another statistics, Mr. President! Remember the reassuring hand over her shoulder in December 2005 during CCM election campaign!
Veneranda, you have not died in vain! Rest in eternal peace our little friend, the fighter, the carer, the guardian angel and the symbol of hope! Amen.
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