Thamsanqa Phandle, Rocklands
As an employee of the South African Police Service, Thansanqa Phandle had the opportunity to become an HIV ambassador. This gives him the platform to educate others within the SAPS about living with HIV. “When you take your medication you are the same as the person who is HIV negative. When you take your medication your viral load gets suppressed. You can’t transmit HIV to the next person and you can have healthy babies. So I am still like an HIV-negative person.” Thami works for the South African Police Service (SAPS). He is part of the peer education programme within which he teaches people about HIV through the ambassador’s programme. An ambassador is someone within the SAPS who is openly living with HIV. There are about 15 ambassadors in the Free State.
He says that one of the biggest reasons for people defaulting on their medication is the fear of being seen by other people at the clinics when they go to collect their ARVs.
Thami has been on ARVs for over eight years. It took him two years to start on medication after he found out his status because he was worried about what people were going to say. He battled with depression because he thought that nobody would love him and he would never be able to have children. He says that on social media he is living openly with HIV. He wants people to stay negative, to know their status, and not to go through what he went through at the beginning.
When asked about success stories with the people that he counsels. Thami tells the story of a man that found out that he was living with HIV and disclosed it to his girlfriend. She rejected him and he fell into a depression, worrying that he would never be loved by anyone. Thami was able to talk to him about life after HIV and took him to visit social workers for more support. They all went together to see his partner and mother, working through the different issues around living with HIV with them. Now he is happy, they are still together and living a healthy and happy life.
As an employee of the South African Police Service, Thansanqa Phandle had the opportunity to become an HIV ambassador. This gives him the platform to educate others within the SAPS about living with HIV. i
Thamsanqa Phandle, Rocklands
Thami works for the South African Police Service (SAPS). He is part of the peer education programme within which he teaches people about HIV through the ambassador’s programme. An ambassador is someone within the SAPS who is openly living with HIV. There are about 15 ambassadors in the Free State.
He says that one of the biggest reasons for people defaulting on their medication is the fear of being seen by other people at the clinics when they go to collect their ARVs.
“When you take your medication you are the same as the person who is HIV negative. When you take your medication your viral load gets suppressed. You can’t transmit HIV to the next person and you can have healthy babies. So I am still like an HIV-negative person.”
Thami has been on ARVs for over eight years. It took him two years to start on medication after he found out his status because he was worried about what people were going to say. He battled with depression because he thought that nobody would love him and he would never be able to have children. He says that on social media he is living openly with HIV. He wants people to stay negative, to know their status, and not to go through what he went through at the beginning.
“Tomorrow it’s my blood test. They are going to draw blood and check my viral load and CD4 count. I am hoping that my doctor will change me on to dolutgravir.”
When asked about success stories with the people that he counsels. Thami tells the story of a man that found out that he was living with HIV and disclosed it to his girlfriend. She rejected him and he fell into a depression, worrying that he would never be loved by anyone. Thami was able to talk to him about life after HIV and took him to visit social workers for more support. They all went together to see his partner and mother, working through the different issues around living with HIV with them. Now he is happy, they are still together and living a healthy and happy life.
“To accept their status and take their medication. That’s the only thing that will keep their health strong.”
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