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 Patients are encouraged to report the earliest sign of any drug side-effects, when there is ample time to intervene and to offer replacement drugs 

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Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is to send medical practitioners to help an HIV-positive woman who developed abnormally large and stretched breasts as a result of anti-retroviral (ARVs) side-effects.

Sowetan reported yesterday that the woman, whose condition is known as Lipodystrophy, was struggling to get help from public hospitals, where she was told to wait as her condition was not life-threatening.

Motsoaledi said specialists would perform pharmaco vigilance and see how they could help the woman.

Pharmaco vigilance is a way in which medical practitioners detect, assess, understand and prevent the adverse reaction or side-effects to medicine.

Motsoaledi described the woman's condition as extreme life lipodystrophy which comprises only a percentage of the cases.

The 28-year-old woman said her breasts started growing rapidly and got heavy in 2008 resulting from her taking ARVs.

She said in 2009 she was supposed to go for a breast reduction but could not because she was anaemic and had a bone marrow deficiency.

Doctors treated her for the anaemia and bone marrow related complications but her lipodystrophy worsened.

The woman's breasts reached her knees.

Speaking on Radio 702 yesterday, Motsoaledi condemned Sowetan for publishing the woman's plight, saying the move could frighten patients in a country carrying a huge burden of HIV/Aids.

The minister did not spare the Gauteng health department and the hospital authorities for saying the woman's plight was not an emergency as her condition was not life-threatening.

"I am also equally distressed by the way the Gauteng health department responded to the matter because that is not the way the health officials should respond," said Motsoaledi.

Chris Hani-Baragwanath Academic Hospital chief executive Johanna More had dismissed the case, saying it was "not a priority".

"That is not the way the health officials must respond. It was wrong for the department to say that this is not an important case."

Meanwhile the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society agreed with Motsoaledi, saying the publication of the story would have detrimental effects.

"A story such as this can cause considerable harm, frightening patients into not starting - or discontinuing - life-saving HIV treatment," said society's president, Francesca Conradie.

She said as clinicians who treat patients for HIV with ARVs, "we are aware that drug's side effects do occur and we tell patients about this possibility".

"Patients are encouraged to report the earliest sign of any drug side-effects when there is ample time to intervene and to offer replacement drugs," Conradie said.

Comments

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Sat May 18 10:11:58 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 15, 2012

sakhomba

Dr.Motsoaledi, if you should know, the journalists of this newspaper are good at stuff like Dudu and Bafana Bafana, they should not have the liberty to discuss serious health issues.
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Jun 15, 2012

Mwelase

Swetan is right, by notifying its citizens with the hidden information and the detoriating state of our hospital management. If it was not for sowetan to publish these sad tale, Mavis would have not received first priority treatment as the clinincs and hospital doctors have turned her. Pheqelezi amabele akhe aselingana nenkomo ebhondo ekhipha ubisi kakhulu.
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Jun 15, 2012

bakstena

I totally disagree with Motsoaledi. I mean these are the things that the people of South Africa, diagnosis and not, should have knowledge of. We have the right to these things, why hide them? The lady is in this situations because the infected people who are on these drugs were never told of the possible side effects these drugs can have on their bodies. Come on minister; of all people you should know better.
When were you going to tell us. Ai fotseke man
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Jun 15, 2012

Secretary

She was told to wait as her condition was not life-threatening. The woman's breasts reached her knees
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Everybody in Mzanzi seems to lost humanity. How can you say the condition of a woman with her breasts dragging on her knees is not life-threatening. Should the breasts drag on the ground for the contition to be taken serious by the so called" health officers"?
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Jun 15, 2012

malemaforpresident

She was told to wait as her condition was not life-threatening.
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some nurses are just pure shiit i am told they are telling patients who are in labour pain to shut up because they enjoyed sex this is horrible

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Jun 15, 2012

sh!tFaceSamsung

sowetan has te right to report whatever they think public should know:

back to te topic
shame poor women : I feel sorry for u: I hope the assistant u recive from medical practitioners will bring positive results to ur life:
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Jun 15, 2012

lindsay

well mr Motsoaledi if sowetan hadn't published the story would you have offered help so quickly?
it seems to be the only way to make you people accountable
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Jun 15, 2012

malemaforpresident

lindsay
well mr Motsoaledi if sowetan hadn't published the story would you have offered help so quickly?
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spot on lin a big NO
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Jun 15, 2012

somaartakeit

well done Sowetan once again your report facilitate most essential service to be delivered to this poor lady,

@Secretary, I think its uncomfortable for her and even painful, can you imagine walking around with massive weight on your breasts? its hard on her back and I can only imagine that this is emotionally draining.

As for Motsoeledi a true public servant the only gov minister I take time off for.

@Lindsay to be far to Dr Motsoeledi, he can't know every case pending in the health sector honestly, there are many pending cases so he has to deal with what has been reported to him and in order of priority, but it is clear to me that his heart is in the right place a breath of fresh if one has to think of his predecessors.
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Jun 15, 2012

somaartakeit

far shld be fair.
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