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NAC introduces eletronic patient monitoring system

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THE National Aids Council (NAC) says it will next year introduce an electronic patient-monitoring system to enable Aids patients to get anti-retroviral drugs from their nearest ART centre after their records have been checked electronically.

THE National Aids Council (NAC) says it will next year introduce an electronic patient-monitoring system to enable Aids patients to get anti-retroviral drugs from their nearest ART centre after their records have been checked electronically.

By Blondie Ndebele Own correspondent

The development comes following observations that the absence of an electronic verification system led to delays by the Global Fund in releasing funds for ARVs leading to shortages of the drugs at some ART centres.

Speaking at the World Aids and International Volunteers’ Day commemorations at the Large City Hall in Bulawayo yesterday, NAC’S monitoring and evaluation director Amon Mpofu said the system will ensure patients on ART get their drug supply timely.

“Every ARV beneficiary will register electronically,” he said.

“The monitoring system will make it easy to access ARV re-supply from any site throughout the country.”

Mpofu said before the latest development, HIV patients only received their drugs from the centres where they were registered and as a result some patients stopped using the drugs once they moved far from their original ART centres.

“In most cases patients will stop taking ARVS when they move away from their registration points,” he said. “This system will improve our services and will increase our monitoring and evaluation systems.”

Mpofu said Tanzania had already implemented the system, adding that experts from the East African country will be in the country next week to train local staff. Speaking during the same event, Bulawayo mayor Thaba Moyo urged stakeholders in the HIV and Aids and antiretroviral therapy programme to plan ahead to avoid running out of stock.

“We must be proactive in our planning and never allow such a situation to repeat itself,” he said. “We are happy that NAC managed to resolve the shortages while awaiting the funds committed by our donors to flow in.”