Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
already tested HIV negative. Kimerei graciously begins making phone calls, and an hour
later, he has arranged for me to meet with an HIV patient who has recently tested negative.
She is going to retest tomorrow at the hospital, and I am invited to witness the test.
The next morning, Reverend Kimerei and I drive to the church to pick up a girl who looks
about 16. She wears a green T-shirt and
khanga
—a skirt made from decoratively printed fab-
ric—and she keeps her eyes to the ground. I introduce myself and she asks me, through the
translator, to change her name, so I will call her Alma.
We drive back to the clinic, where a female doctor takes us to a small room. I take a seat
nexttoacardboardboxlabeled
HIVPREVENTION—CONDOMS
.Thedoctorintroducesherself,
saying, “I'm Lucy, or Sister Mulingi,” in Swahili, and introduces another man and woman,
who are apparently counselors. She asks a series of questions, which Alma answers in a soft
voice.
AlmafirstlearnedshewasHIVpositivein2005buthasprobablyhadthevirusfrombirth.
Herfatherdiedin2001,andsheliveswithhermother,whoisalsoHIVpositive.Twiceaday,
she takes ARVs issued by the clinic, and she has never stopped, even after visiting Mwas-
apila. Sister Mulingi asks,
Does anyone, any friends at school know about your problem?
No
.
That's good—we must help you avoid discrimination. Did you go to Samunge?
Yes, I went to Samunge in March
.
After you came back from Samunge, did you take another test?
No
.
But based on your belief you hope that you're healed?
Yes
.
Would you like that we establish your status at this moment?
Yes
.
There are two possible results. The first result could show that your blood is still infected
with the HIV virus. The second one could show that there are no traces of the virus in your
blood; that would mean you're cured
.
If it comes out without traces of the virus I'll be very happy
.
Sister Mulingi takes Alma from the room to administer the blood test. A few minutes later
she calls Reverend Kimerei and me into a larger room. Alma is sitting on an examination
table, and I sit next to her. Also in the room is a male doctor, the two counselors, and the
translator, Jackson. Sister Mulingi stands in the middle of the room and then announces, dra-
matically in English, that the test results are positive. Alma still has HIV. She repeats the
results in Swahili for Alma, who nods her head slowly. The male doctor explains that at this
clinic, they have tested over a dozen people who have been to Samunge and all of them are
