Back to basics on HIV and AIDS

Who gets HIV/AIDS?

As the saying goes, "HIV does not discriminate." Anyone, young or old, black or white, male or female can contract HIV and AIDS. HIV is spread from an infected person to another person through unprotected sex (not using a condom). Infected mothers can also pass the HIV virus to their babies, during birth and during breastfeeding. HIV is also spread when sharing needles or syringes with an infected person. HIV is not spread through touching, hugging, or shaking hands with an infected person, coughing, sneezing, sharing glasses and dishes, or touching toilets or doorknobs.

What are the symptoms?

HIV - Some people notice the following symptoms within 6 weeks of infection:
• Fever
• Headache
• Swollen glands
• Tiredness
• Aching joints and muscles
• Sore throat

AIDS - When HIV becomes AIDS, a person may display any of the following symptoms:
• Fever that lasts longer than a month
• Weight loss
• Extreme tiredness
• Diarrhoea for longer than a month
• Swollen lymph glands
• Unclear thinking
• Skin rashes

What should I do if I think I may have HIV or AIDS?

If you think you are infected with HIV, or have been exposed to someone who may be HIV positive, or if you have any of the above symptoms, make an appointment with your health care provider right away and get tested. The earlier you get tested the sooner you can start taking medicine to control the virus (if you are positive). Getting treated early can slow down the progress of the HIV infection.

Getting tested

HIV is diagnosed using a blood test. If you are tested too soon after being exposed to HIV, it is possible that you can get a "false negative" test result. This is because it can take 12 weeks or longer from the time of exposure for the HIV test to show up on the test. If you have engaged in risky behaviour with, you should have the test repeated after three months to make sure that you are negative. It is important to know that a test result is not a diagnosis. It is advisable that only a doctor makes the HIV diagnosis.

Can HIV and AIDS be treated?

There is no cure for HIV infection or AIDS. The virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. The virus can be treated with a combination of different drugs which work to keep the virus under control so the immune system can stay strong. People with HIV must take medication at specific times and never miss their doses. Your doctor or health care provider will also tell you to eat healthy foods, exercise and lower your stress levels.

HIV and medical aid

The type of medical aid cover you choose depends on your budget as well as your family's healthcare needs.

When choosing what type of medical cover that will suit you best, you need to ask yourself some simple, straightforward questions. These include: How often do members of the family visit the doctor, dentist and other healthcare practitioners? What annual check-ups and tests will members of the family require in the coming? Are you planning any major medical procedures, such as pregnancy and birth? However, not all of our healthcare needs are within our control. So, what should you do if someone in your family is diagnosed with a serious disease such as HIV?

Until we or a loved one is actually in the situation ourselves most of us don't know what type of benefits we have for these types of serious diseases. Don't wait until someone in the family has been diagnosed with a chronic disease before you familiarise yourself with the benefits offered by your scheme and option. Make sure you know the answers to questions such as the following:

• What are my benefits for chronic diseases (such as HIV)? For example, will my scheme pay for antiretroviral treatment, and under what conditions?
• Do co-payments apply? (A co-payment is when the medical scheme pays only a portion of the medical bill and the member is liable for the balance.)
• Are the benefits relating to specific conditions limited?
• Is all additional medicine covered?
• Are there limitations relating to which healthcare providers will be paid for?

Long-term medical treatment not covered by a medical scheme can impose heavy financial burdens on patients and their families. For this reason, it is imperative to find out exactly what medical treatment and procedures are included in your plan, what your medical aid will pay for, and discuss the situation as early after your diagnosis and into your treatment as possible, with both your scheme and your healthcare team, to avoid any nasty financial surprises down the line. Every medical scheme member should make sure they know exactly what benefits they are entitled to, before they need them, so that their only concern during treatment is their recovery!